Unjustment
by Glimare
Summary: INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US COMIC AU based story. After Dick dies, Tim and Jason make a deal. Tim has a plan but it'll take time to do it. But what will be the cost? Temporary character deaths, mild language courtesy Jason, fluff, angst, life in general. Note, makes more sense if you've kept track of the Game or comic. Don't have to read or play either to enjoy.
1. 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. GET OVER IT! Will take over DC comics though one day and make this a reality. 8D**

Okay, first off, this is based in INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, which I _haven't directly read nor played_ so there may be some indescrepencies. sorry. I've done my best with my limited resources. Second, this was completely typed up in little over a week. It's over 50 pages and it's completed, with alternate open ending. so no suggestions please. Third, parts are depressing to the point I've cried, and I'm somewhat heartless. There's also fluff, action, and wibbly wobbly science. and Lastly, the title is wordplay. Injustice became Unjustice. Adjustment becoming Unjustment... will make sense later. I blame Earth 16 Dick and his jokes for this one.

The entire story is based off of one question: What are Tim and Jason doing in this world? Enjoy!

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**Unjustment**

1

Jason leaned back against a headstone, drinking straight from the bottle as he talked to the one in front of him. He couldn't remember the last time the two of them actually had a good talk, and now he was gone. The stupid flippin' bastard was gone.

Raising his fifth beer, Jay grinned sardonically. "Here's to you Dickhead. Hope you like that psychedelic circus in the sky. Back in pixie boots and booty shorts too I bet."

"Quite possibly."

Jason lolled his head around, spotting the source of the comment. Tim, prim and proper in a business suit and carrying both a bouquet of roses and a tablet, was standing next to him. The amount of concealer under his near bloodshot eyes, he hadn't slept since their big brother's funeral, if that. Damn workaholic. The teen continued, depression in every aspect of his being. "He always did love his circus days."

The rogue bird watched him for a moment before offering him his bottle. "Want some?"

"Not today." He stood there in silence for a moment, just looking at their brother's name. Jason suspected the guy was having a very hard time coping with this death upon all the others that had surrounded him. Damn this kid's life sucked. And he thought being beaten near to death and then blown up was bad. But with Timbo, everyone just deemed to die around him. If anyone needed a beer, he did.

He also needed to laugh. Motioning to the flowers, he tried to joke. "Those for me?"

"If you want one." Tim put the pad on the ground and started taking the bouquet apart. He passed one to the man once dead then stepped towards the graves before him. He set a single rose on Dick's grave, then the two next to his. His parents. There were still a few in his hand. Was he going to visit everyone's graves?

"Thanks... I feel special."

"You should." Not even a hint of a smile as he stood before the graves. "You're the only one I've been able to give flowers to while living."

That got his attention. "Seriously?" The teen gave him a nod. "Well that's craptastic. What'd you give your girlfriends then? Chocolates?"

A slight shrug was all he was given in answer. The proper heir to billions and two companies was entirely focused on the graves before him. Kid really needed to lighten up. Wonder what he was like drunk?

Scratch that. Considering how depressed he was now, giving him a depressant would probably encourage thoughts of suicide. Last thing any of them needed was a bird to just off himself. And a stimulant probably would turn him into a raving murderous psychopath. What he needed was therapy, filled with love, affection, and cuddles.

Oh G-d... He was sounding like Dick.

"Hey," Jason started, somewhat curious but mostly wanting to fill the air, "how did he die? For real I mean. I just can't believe he up and fell off the balcony and broke his neck at home. Not the circus freak."

"You don't know?" For the first time Tim looked at him, confusion on his face instead of sorrow.

"I was out of town." He took a sip from his bottle before explaining. "Following up on where Joker got those missiles. Damn that clown. Glad he's finally dead. Just wish Bruce did it instead of Supes.

"So how'd he die? I mean," Jason gave him a sloppy grin, "you're everyone's favorite pet birdboy next to Dicky here. You freakin' know everything."

Tim looked down at him in silence, troubled for a moment, before leaning down and picking up his tablet. His fingers worked rapidly as he spoke. "I wasn't there either. Bruce had me doing meetings overseas for Wayne Enterprises the past couple months. Penance for my actions."

"What actions?" Strange thing to say. Had the replacement fallen from grace?

"I haven't been in Gotham for quite a while." Clearly he wasn't going to answer that. Must have broken a few of daddy's rules. The genius passed over the pad and turned away, clearly not wanting to see the video he brought up again. "Arkham security caught the footage."

Jason took the tech and pressed play. His eyes widened as he watched, not able to believe the fight before him. What were they all doing fighting each other like this? Weren't they the good guys? And why was Robin fighting... Then he saw it, the moment that changed everything. A disbelieving 'ha' left his mouth at the simple move Damian performed, then gaped as a rock claimed Nightwing's life.

A rock.

He tripped on a rock.

The world's greatest acrobat done in by a fall. Just like his parents.

Caught between crying and laughing, he couldn't help but to do both. His big brother, the one he admired and hated and was so happy would talk to him when others wouldn't, was killed by a little kid and a rock. How ridiculous was that? Dead from a fall. The story the press got was better.

"It's not funny Jay," Tim stated coldly, but even that didn't stop his bitter laugh.

"I know... It's just..." He leaned back, crying and laughing at the same time, but feeling nothing but pain as it replayed in his head. He could almost see Dick gaping at the video of his death and chastising his dead self. "A fall? He really was killed in a fall?"

"After Damian knocked him out." The teen took the tablet back and fiddled with it again. A steely look came to his face. "Superman and Wonder Woman took him away in the confusion after."

"Think it was intentional?" Dick knocked out and sent careening to the ground, neck snapped, the kid started it... Could have been an accident, right?

"With Damian, everything's intentional." His eyes narrowed as he worked. "He hasn't been seen since. Bruce isn't talking about it. I had to pry that from Oracle's old systems..."

Jason's tears had subsided a bit as he thought of what this meant to Barbara. Dick dead... She really was going through hell now. Who was helping her? Trying to look away from that, he focused on what else was said. "So it's the demon's fault."

"Yes." There was a hardened tone to his voice, one he couldn't ignore. "Damian betrayed Bruce and killed Dick."

"So..." A dark thought flashed through his mind as he watched the teen. This was not the Tim he was used to dealing with, at all. He could almost sense him teetering on the edge of madness. "What are you going to do about it?"

"A lot," Tim passed back over the pad, "but it'll take time. I need your help."

He blinked. "My help? You... want... my help?"

"Yes."

Jason gaped at him, then looked at his bottle. "I must be really drunk. Maybe drinking that brandy earlier was a bad idea."

"Just take the tablet and listen to me."

He looked up at the insistent child looming over him. "Have you been drinking? Are you on drugs? Me? Help you?"

"Yes! I need your help!" Tim's patience was growing thin.

"After all the times I tried to kill you? You want my help?" It really didn't fit.

"That's the exact reason I want your help!" He snapped, anger building all around him. "You and no one else's!"

Jason looked over the guy one more time, then pointed an accusing finger at him. "Who are you and what have you done to Tim Drake?!"

"Jason just listen!" Frustration grew by the second on the lad's face, irked beyond anything that the older man wouldn't listen to him. "In order for Dick to get justice... in order to fix everything... We have to work together!"

"Fix everything?" He finally looked at the tablet still being offered to him, trying to make sense of everything. The alcohol didn't help.

Tim took a deep breath then started to explain. "Look, I have a plan. And if it goes right, then... then everything that's gone wrong lately can be fixed. But in order to do that, I need you. You're the only one who can help me and who can take care of things if I fail. I can't have Bruce in on it, or Barbara. They won't understand. If they knew, they'd... they'd do everything in their power to stop me. I can't do this alone.

"Please Jason," he pleaded, desperation in his eyes, "I'm begging you. Help me right the wrongs done lately. I just need a little help from you now and some later. I'll be doing most of the work. Just... Just support me in this. I won't ask for anything else."

Watching the babybird plead for something, pleading him for something, was one thing Jason never expected. Dumbly he took the tablet and read what was on the screen. Enough of it clicked in his drunken mind to make his jaw drop. "This... is nuts."

"That's why I can't ask anyone else to help." The begging tone never left his voice. "Jason, please. If not for me, for Dick. Neither of us were here to stop this. Let's do something for him now."

His wandering thoughts flew to the bright eyed young man who meant everything to the next generation of heroes. Nightwing, the original Robin, was the apple of everyone's eye. Only others who'd be considered higher on the scale was the big three, and Wonder Woman was debatable. These days, even Superman was a stretch. Dick was the best, even Batman said so. A noble hero, a gifted leader, a caring older brother, a devoted son...

And now he was gone.

Tim's plans were looking mighty tempting. Still, he had to think about it. Making an agreement with this bird wasn't a habit he wanted to make. Especially with all the details he had cooked up. One thing was for certain. Life was about to get very interesting.

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A/N: These guys are a combination of Pre-52 Tim and part pre and post 52 Jason. the thing Tim did was Boomerang, that's all you need to know. Everything will be clear in a few chapters. enjoy the mystery and misery. And sorry for Jason's mouth.

Now there is still a poll on my profile saying what else I really need to work on. ^^; I'll get to those shortly, but right now it's leaning towards a teen titan story I haven't even started putting out yet. Care to add your voice to the mix? Love notes and questions, so long as they're intelligent. As this is a completed story on my compy, expect daily updates. Until next time. ^^V


	2. 2

Glad people are reading this. Like I said before, still haven't read the series nor played the game, but there's a five year time jump. We'll just assume nothing dramatic happened on the boys' end for a while. To others though, a lot has happened. *snicker* Enjoy the feels!

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2

_Five years later_

Tim rubbed his forehead, trying to get rid of the headache that came with his eyes inability to focus lately. He needed to get glasses, more than the corrective lenses in his cowl. He still had plenty of money left over to take care of that, but things had changed a lot since Superman's régime began. Every single hero who did not side with him were wanted felons. Red Robin hadn't declared a side, but he never went against Batman's orders either. Mostly he kept to himself, occasionally making appearances every once in a while. Proved he wasn't dead at least.

Batman and Batgirl were hard to get in contact with these days, same with all the underground crime fighters. The Arrows were barely holding their own, gathering as many freedom fighters as they could while the Bats worked as intelligence officers. Well, the Bats that were left.

Black Bat was seen once in a blue moon, giving them details on certain 'gods' goals, but she took risks no one else could so she didn't stick around for very long. Stephanie had retired, completely. No more cape and cowl, she was a refugee volunteer. Batman and Batgirl were in the war head on. Catwoman participated for her own ends of course, but she was still an ally. Pretty much all their other clan members were dead, including Alfred.

Jason was MIA.

Tim pulled himself from his gloomy thoughts and tried to remember where he was in his project. He'd been working on it for five years, and he was certain he was almost done. The technology was experimental, but after comparing it to other people's tools and going over the theorems and equations a thousand times, he couldn't see a way it could fail.

Unfortunately there was one piece missing for this to work. And it was in the heart of Superman's territory.

A groan escaped his lips as he ran his hands through his hair. This was not happening. So close to completion and the big bad was blocking him. "What a headache..."

"Then maybe you should take a break."

Stiffening slightly, Tim jerked around and spotted the source of the voice. A small smile accompanied by a great deal of relief, came to his features. It was Bruce, outside of costume. It'd been a long time since he saw him in casual wear. Not since...

"I'd like to," he admitted, "but I'm nearly done. When did you manage to find me?"

His adoptive father walked up to his work table, glossing over the numerous other projects he had worked on. Boards and papers were littered with numbers and possibilities, but none directly revealed what he was planning. "Were you really trying to hide?"

A smirk played on the edge of his mouth. "Maybe not from you, but I doubt Superman and his posse would let me go around unchecked. So, what brings Bruce Wayne to my humble hole in the ground?"

Bruce's still face as he looked away started to scare him. Why was he here like this anyway? Because no one thought of him as a threat? His identity was known to the regime. Only the common folk didn't know who he was. They even forgot the famous Bruce Wayne in all the struggles going on around them.

"Batman's being hunted," he explained simply. "Bruce Wayne isn't, at least not at the same level. I couldn't risk you being discovered by someone else on accident."

"And..." Really, it was pulling teeth getting this man to open up. And this was after over a decade of knowing him. Still, even though they'd reconciled and were on the same side most of the time, Bats just didn't open up to people anymore. Dick had been the last to really know him. Selina was a close second, which made Tim and Barbara a joint third. It was so much easier talking to him before Metropolis, even when Red Robin was in preverbal exile.

Bruce still wasn't looking at him, proof he had bad news. Eventually he spoke. "I ran into Damian."

Hearing this, Tim's blood froze. Damian. The true black sheep of the family. No, he wasn't family anymore. After Dick's death and the kid ran off, Bruce completely disinherited him. Jason had a chance to return to the family if he wanted to, but that road was completely gone for the demon.

"I see." He leaned back into his chair, waiting for the entire story. Bruce wouldn't have risked anything, let alone Tim's life, just for that smidge of information. "His status?"

"Grown up. Superman's zealot. And..." Carefully controlled rage entered his voice. This was the part he hated most. "He calls himself Nightwing."

If his insides were ice before, they were forever solid now. The nerve of that kid...

"Nightwing was originally a Kryptonian legend," the man tried to reason, but he was clearly upset. "His costume design is similar to... It's red instead of blue, and better armored. His methods are lethal."

"He's still alive I take it." That was something he questioned for years. Was the demon still alive? Where was he now? He hadn't made an appearance they knew of for years. Cass was trying to find out what happened, but some secrets were very well kept in the conclave.

Reluctantly, his father nodded. "Our fight was interrupted. All I could get from him was that Superman raised him. He's completely brainwashed Tim. No hope left."

"If things hadn't happened back then," Tim questioned out loud, "do you think we could have turned him from that way of life? Talia did a real number on him growing up."

A contemplative silence perforated the room before Bruce smiled bitterly. "I guess we'll never know."

He looked at Tim in the eye for the first time since his arrival. "I thought you should know in case you happened upon him. Keep your head down until we can figure a way out of this mess."

A slight smile graced the young man's features as he reasoned things out. "So that's why you don't beg me to join you in the field or get upset about not seeing me for weeks at a time. You want to keep me safe, your last remaining male heir you trust to uphold your castle when you're gone."

"In part. Tim." He leaned over, placing a hand on his son's shoulder as he spoke to him, eye to eye. "I trust you more than anyone else in this world. I have a feeling things are going to escalate further soon. I don't know what is going to happen next, but soon this nightmare is going to end. Please, stay out of sight and stay safe until it does."

The young man watched his father calmly, letting in the warmth of his subtle love seep in. They were so similar even if they weren't related by blood. Both were surrounded by tragedy. Both had suffered greatly. Both still kept their morals and fought the good fight. And even though they kept their distance to protect themselves and each other, both relied on the other's existence to keep going.

Slowly Tim nodded. "I'll do what I can Bruce."

This seemed to be enough for him. For a brief moment it felt like they would hug, like they once had many years ago, but neither moved to do so. Hugs reminded them of Dick. Thinking of him hurt. They didn't want to hurt anymore. Instead Bruce gave his shoulder a tight squeeze and turned to leave.

Slightly amused, Tim spoke. "That's it? No asking what I've been working on all this time? No ultimatums?"

"You're old enough to know what's right and wrong Tim," he stated as he walked away. "And I stopped asking about your projects years ago. Not worth the headache. I'll send over a new pair of glasses and some aspirin in a few days. And get some rest. You look worse than me."

Chuckling lightly, the young man turned back to his work. One piece left. Superman had it. Damian, the new Nightwing, was probably guarding it.

Well, that suited him just fine. He'd been wanting to settle things with the demon for a long while now.

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A/N: Just as an FYI, I started writing this before the rumors of Batgirl appearing were out there. She's not in the comics (yet) but she is in the game and I had made BG Barbara before that. Sometimes I love predicting their next move. Doing the math, I placed Tim at 24-25 here, making Jason in his late 20s. Bruce... pushing 50? Who knows. Hope you're liking it and leaving reviews. *bats eyes* Poll's still up. Until tomorrow!


	3. 3

I'm sad. No one commented last time here... T-T So sad. Anywho, fight scene ahead! enjoy!

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3

Red Robin focused his binoculars on the target area. He spent the past month looking for this particular piece and he'd be damned if he was going to just let it get away from him. Rumor had it Superman's favorite and most loyal vassal was guarding this vault. Three guesses on who that was. It was because of this he was actually wearing his armor, all of it.

Tim kept the cowl and added plates to his wardrobe. Everything was enhancing his mobility and strength, keeping him in the game since he was halfway retired from it. It wasn't as light as his earlier costumes, but it would give him a better chance against those with powers. And a lot of them had powers. Likelihood of his enemy having powers or similar enhancements, very high. He'd need every advantage available. Best one would be not being caught in the act of stealing.

Sighing heavily, he tried not to think of recent losses as he took out a zipline and fired. May as well get this over with. Within minutes he was in the building, bypassing security and making certain alarms didn't go off. The algorithms he developed worked like a charm. One thing Superman didn't manage to snag on his side were geniuses, and the ones who were coerced to work for him had left a backdoor for people who knew how to look. And he looked.

He was almost there, just a thin wall away from the vault hidden deep inside the complex. No one had found him yet and he intended to keep it that way. A fast acting acid was all he needed to get through, and he could grab his prize and go. Then the nightmare would be over. He just barely finished spraying the wall with the second chemical to start the corrosive reaction when what he dreaded happened. A snarky voice spoke to him.

"So this is what you do now Drake? Steal things for Batman?"

Red Robin's heart turned cold as he slowly turned around to see their most notorious black sheep. Killing criminals was one thing. Killing the first Robin was another. "Not for him. I have my own cause."

Finally he could see the one who had brought so much grief to them. Damian Wayne, the new Nightwing. Red instead of blue, messy long hair... He could almost see Bruce's jaw fully formed on his face. It was almost scary how he looked so comfortable in that suit, nothing like the arrogant brat he saw last. At least not physically.

He decided to call him Redwing. Nightwing just wasn't right for a murderer.

Redwing cocked his head to the side mockingly. "Private sector? Profiteering? Arms dealing?"

"More like revival."

"You're as bad as Catwoman," the teen sneered.

"I'll take that as a complement, as she's still alive." Red Robin looked up and down the guy one more time. "I'd say you look well, but I'm not even the slightest bit happy to see you."

"Nor I you." The former bird was still a teenager, not fully developed. Tim still had the physical advantage. He could sense the teen sizing him up too. Old habits. "Did Batman send you here? Like the others?"

It was his turn to look at the guy mockingly. "What? Make a habit of killing people who visit you?" He could see the teen's eyes narrow behind his mask. Good. "You used to call him 'Father'. Remember?"

"He's not my father!" The bite in Damian's voice, along with the pain, gave him some satisfaction. Nerves were struck. Brainwashed maybe, but he still had family issues.

"So you're finally willing to accept my legitimate legal claim to the Wayne name at long last?" Slowly he eased into a fighting stance. "Or are you just going to continue to kill everyone else who associates with him? It was you who personally took out the Wayne Tech staff in Hub, wasn't it?"

Redwing's eyes narrowed even further, muscles tense and ready to leap into action. The older bird was getting the end to quite a few mysteries, and all without a word being said. That would have to change. "Tell me, just what did the Foxs ever do to you?"

"It was self-defense," he snapped. "You know very well what project they were working on."

"Kryptonite dust missiles wouldn't have been necessary if there were still any good kryptonians left," Tim barked back. He took out his bo staff and extended it. "Conner and Kara were dear friends of mine."

"They were blind traitors," Damian spat back. "They deserved their fates."

"What about Bart? Cassie? Donna? The Wests? Mia? Rose? Virgil?" A blizzard started to blow through his veins. The list was endless. "Did they deserve their fates?! Did Jackson?! Irey?! Gar?! How about Dick!"

That was the last straw. Roaring, Redwing charged at him, twin knives in hand instead of eskrima sticks. Red Robin blocked the first attack without any difficulty, keeping his head cool as he taunted him further. Downside number two of being a teen: hormones and emotions always got in the way, regardless of training. Damian was incapable of compartmentalizing on the same level Tim did.

As metal clashed with metal, blow with blow, the teen spoke. Or rather, shouted. "DON'T LECTURE ME ABOUT THAT! YOU WEREN'T THERE!"

"I didn't need to be!" Tim shouted back, still on command of his emotions, despite the fierce façade.

"I DIDN'T-"

"I saw the footage!" he bit back, narrowly missing a gash going down his arm. "I saw what you did!"

"IT WASN'T ON PURPOSE!" He flipped back and away for a moment, the hint of grief on his face. "_Do you honestly believe I wanted to kill my brother?! Our brother?!_"

"WE ARE NOT BROTHERS!" The older bird charged forward, throwing concussion disks to mask his attack before trying to take on the assassin again. "After all the times you tried to _kill me_?! What am I supposed to think! Brothers _don't_ kill each other!"

"SHUT UP!" Damian struck out wildly against him, trying to land a blow. He managed a few nicks (some of which weren't nicks) before Tim managed to send one knife out a window and the other deep into the far wall. The empowered suit was working great. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE GONE THROUGH!"

"Was it hell?" he asked in a mocking sweet tone before returning to shouting with venom. "_Because I've lived in it!_ Longer and harder than you ever did! I'm the _only_ member of my team now thanks to you and your bosses! The _only_ Wayne heir left! Batman's _one_ consistent ally! And _all_ he wants me to do is _sit on the sidelines and wait_!"

Small bombs littered the floor around the traitor, throwing him for a loop before Red Robin's staff crashed into his stomach. Damian crashed into the far wall, stunned and gasping for breath while the older bird shot forward, ready to strike again. "Nearly everything I care about is dead! My parents! My friends! My team! My brother! My whole life!"

He threw him to the ground, ready to just kick the stuffing out of the little braggart. The demon was going down, now. "I have only _one_ thing left to live for and _you_ are _not_ going to deny it to me!"

Towering over the teen, Tim brought up his staff to strike a hefty blow. Fueled by rage at the memory of everything that had happened, all the hurt that came since the day Dick died, part of him knew he would not be able to control his next move if he continued. The part of him that spoke to him using his beloved big brother's voice.

"_Stop it Timmy. It's not worth it. He's down._"

Red Robin stopped, blinking at the teen below him as he saw the guy's trembling form. He hadn't realized how far they had taken their fight. They just fought: striking out, throwing weapons both sharp and explosive, shoving each other around, slamming each other with metal rods... So much had happened as they argued he couldn't remember what he did. Half the room was a warzone and the other half getting there. He didn't realize there were knives protruding from his body and that he was bleeding out slowly. Damian was just as bad as he, if not worse. And now the demon was at his feet, in more pain than he'd admit and scared for his life.

He had won.

For a moment he feinted swinging his staff down on the demon's head, instead leaving a nice sized gash in the floor next to his head. The teen barely managed to open his eyes and look at him in pain. Confusion played on his features. Fine. An icy glare was his answer for him.

"In spite of how I feel," he murmured in a low tone, daring the lad to interrupt, "Dick _wouldn't_ want this. He believed in justice more than anyone. I am not judge, jury, or executioner. None of us are. You will be held accountable for your crimes Damian. We all will be."

"Drake-!" A solid kick slammed into his side, ending all objections. Red Robin sneered at him.

"Whoops. Collateral damage. So sorry." Limping slightly, Tim went back to the wall he had been melting through earlier. "Now if you don't mind, I have something I need to pick up."

"You're making a mistake!" the former bat screeched after him. He ignored his objections as he stepped inside. "You can't take it! You'll never..."

It didn't take long for the young man to go in, find what he needed, then step back out. Based off of the look on the brat's face, it was not what he thought he was after. A quantum star gem rested in his palm as he exited, then placed it in one of his pouches. He raised an eyebrow at the teen when he came back out and stopped shouting. "Never what? Get what I need?"

"Wh... What are you..."

"The less you know, the better." Tim cocked his head to the side as he considered the boy for a moment. "Take it there's something in here you don't want Batman getting his hands on." He looked up and down his longest surviving enemy, thinking things through. "Fine. He'll be dealing with it later, whatever it is. Goodbye Damian. I doubt you'll be meeting me again."

"Drake..." the traitor gasped, struggling to get up after him. Red Robin ignored the attempts and headed out of the room, ice still in his veins. He cast him one last look before leaving.

"If you do, then I'll give you another five years of hell."

"DRAKE!" The new Nightwing could barely get to his feet as the bird disappeared into the darkness. He gasped for breath as the strongest impression hit him about the man. He really wouldn't be seeing him again. No one would.

* * *

A/N: Any ideas yet what he's planning? Twenty points if you can guess! Anywho, this fight gets Timbo to rethink what Damian did. In spite of everything, Tim still has his morals and Dick is still talking in his ear. I believed, when I came up with the question of what he would do in this world, that Red Robin would have a hard fight with Dami then at the last second abandon him instead of kill him. Why? Because that's what Dick would have him do. Jason though is a different story, and he's next.

Yes, I killed off the Foxs. The entire family. I also killed off a lot of other characters off screen. I did mention there would be deaths. Poll's still up. Happy mother's day!


	4. 4

Now to see what Jason's doing! Remember, you have been warned on what is coming.

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4

Jason slid down the slanted roof, racing to where he had to be. Everything was coming to a head and he had a mission he needed to finish. Superman's instructions were clear and his plan foolproof. In order for it to work though, everyone knew Batman and Green Arrow had to die. They were the only ones with the resources that could stop the plan from working. They would deal with Aquaman later. Everyone had their targets. His was too easy to pick.

Unfortunately his target had disappeared from him. Snarling, he mentally chastised himself. He didn't spend the past four years getting to where he was just to lose out on this opportunity now. It was time to strike. Now or never.

Finally he made it to Gotham's cathedral, slipping in unnoticed. Red Hood had toned down his uniform a lot in order to do this, and he'd be damned if he was going to get caught now. Coming down from the roof, he tried to see what was happening. Cursing to himself, he rushed to find a quiet way down. Batman was struggling against Redwing, his stupid sentimentality getting in the way as always. Damian didn't have that problem anymore. He'd killed enough 'family' members that his father was a natural progression.

Turning one corner, he found just what he was looking for: a destroyed staircase to level two that turned into a path to the ground floor. Carefully leaping from rock to rock, he managed to slip into the shadows below. Finally nearing the fight, he took out his guns and made sure the right bullets were in place. It'd be really embarrassing to go charging in there with the wrong ones and they bounced off his armor.

Finally ready, Jason grinned. He'd been wanting to do this for years. There was no way he'd let the brat barely out of his pixie boots get the killing blow.

He ignored the shouting and monologues from the blood relatives as he turned the corner and took aim. One bullet struck through his target's knee, forcing him to the floor. His opponent jerked back in surprise as the Red Hood made his appearance from the shadows. Both Waynes jerked their heads over to him, pistols raised and creeping out of the shadows. He wanted him to know who killed him.

"Jason?" Disbelief dripped from his lips at the betrayal. Good. Now he knew what it felt like.

"Do you honestly think I'd just forgive you after what you did?" He stepped closer, pointing the guns straight into his head. "You never understood what it meant to be Robin Damian, and you sure as hell never understood Nightwing. Go back to Hell demon."

"JASON!"

Batman's shout to stop him was drowned out by the two shots perfectly aimed into Redwing's head. As the fallen baby bat fell to the ground, he continued to shoot two shots next to each other in each of his vitals. Most would take a look at it and say Two-Face did it, but closer inspection would betray him. Either way, it'd give him time.

"JASON STOP IT!" Batman somehow managed to get back to his own feet and turn him around by his shoulders, stopping the firing sequence. Jason looked at him in the eye, very glad he still wore his helmet after all these years. If he saw the smile and tears on his face, he was certain the old man would have a complete breakdown. He was pretty close to it right then anyway. "WHAT ARE YOU-"

"I thought it was obvious." He jerked out of the man's hold, sheathing his guns. His job was done there. "Demon slaying. Saving your life. Saving everyone's in this God forsaken world!"

"You just-"

"He was never my brother!" The bite in his voice could not be avoided. "I never lived with him and we only fought on the same side once when Dick was alive! I _never_ trusted him!

"Now let's get out of here before backup arrives!" Not waiting for any invitation, Jason grabbed Batman's arm and threw it over him to drag him away better. The old guy's injuries would make running really difficult right then.

The dark knight shoved himself off the anti-hero, still confused and angry. "Explain yourself! Now!"

"In short? Fine!" Stubborn old bat. "I'm a double agent! Though I agree with Superman about certain points, what he's doing is wrong! How he's doing it, even worse! The only reason I joined him was to get close to Damian so I could kill him for killing Dick! End of story!"

"Jason-"

"If you want more, we'll talk! Somewhere else!" He looked around fearfully, knowing sooner or later some meta could come crashing in and making mincemeat of the two of them. Damian was their new favorite, completely forgetting what he did to the previous one. Another reason he hated the new régime. Dick had earned the favoritism; Damian hadn't. "Let's just get out of this hellhole already!"

The cold look on the Bat's face would freeze a lot of hearts, but Jason had been on the receiving end of it so much it didn't faze him. "This used to be a house of God."

"Don't care! Let's just get going!" He gestured to the young adult on the ground a few feet away. "Let the dead try to find God here. Just so long as we don't join him in a few minutes."

Batman stood still for a moment, just glaring at him, before turning and walking to the corpse of his biological son. He took off his cape and gently laid it over his still, bleeding body. Jason had to look away so his rage and impatience didn't turn into overpowering guilt. Despite everything, Damian was still Bruce's son. Part of him would always love him, homicidal tendencies, past digressions, and all. He couldn't leave his baby like the rogue would. And in all honesty, Jason was secretly glad he wouldn't.

After a minute of two more of silence, he could feel his former mentor next to him. "You better not leave a single thing out."

"Don't plan on it." Helping him a bit, they left the funeral site in favor of security and privacy. There was a lot that had to be said.

* * *

A/N: Yes I killed Damian. I thought that Jason, if he was in the game/series, would sneak into Superman's side because he believes criminals should be killed, always believed it, but he would not let Damian get away with killing Dick. he'd be really ticked off about the kid not being punished for it either. So I got his image in my head of Jason walking into the room after a fight Redwing had with someone, shoot him in the head, then walk right back out.

Next chapter the plan, or the basic plan to a point, gets revealed. Enjoy!


	5. 5

Ready to know what the plans are? Good! Jason will reveal all! That he knows of...

* * *

5

It was strange being allowed to drive the old batmobile again. Bruce wasn't really up to it anyway, and it was camouflaged to keep them from being found. Perfect place for them to talk, especially since Jason had to get them to Tim's for a full explanation.

"Double agent?"

That brought a smirk to the young man's lips. Straight to the point after twenty minutes of brooding. "That's right."

"Who do you report to?"

"Tim mostly." He could almost feel the man's head whip around to gape at him. "Used to pass intel to Cass and she'd get it to him and whomever she talked to on your end."

"I thought she-"

"Couldn't get in deep enough," he explained. "Everyone knows she's undyingly loyal to you. You're her ideal. Me on the other hand..." He smirked knowingly. "I never did like your no kill policy. Other than my apparent need to get your approval, I was pretty much in from the get go. Tim knew this, and five years ago he talked to me. He got to me first. Gave me an offer I wouldn't refuse. The rest is history."

"Tim... told you to kill Damian..."

"Not exactly. More like he gave the OK." The details were going to be interesting. "He has this big plan you see, and apparently he's just a flipped switch away from pulling it off now. He needed eyes on the inside and someone who would be able to help him with his plans if he needed anything from Supes and the rest. He needed time and space to pull it off... heh, time and space...

"My incentive was simply being given the opportunity to take out the demon. He made it so I could get in without any more questions. Had to blow one of your ops, but Tim made sure no one was hurt. Told me to hold off killing the bastard until either things became desperate or he was ready to go. Turns out both are happening now."

"You two..."

Jason cast him a look before returning his eyes to the road. The Bat was looking quite worn out indeed, and this new intel about his boys doing sneaky things behind his back wasn't helping. "Be happy it's taken this long. I would have killed him off three years ago if I had my say in this. But as soon as Damian was dead, my cover was blown. I wouldn't be able to stop them from finding Tim earlier or find out what Superman's planning these days. And trust me, it's bad."

Batman didn't speak for a moment before growling. "Are you going to keep it to yourself?"

"You still haven't asked."

"Jason..."

He took a deep breath before turning a corner, getting closer to their destination. They'd be going underground in a moment. "His scientists have been working on a two part formula that'll change the way people think, kinda. It's based off of some alien crap, but the plan itself is pretty simple. Superman and the others are going to detonate some virus in to the air, one that'll kill people in a week if they don't get the antidote."

"Genocide." The dread in the man's voice could not be reasoned away. It was one of his worst fears coming to life.

"Not exactly." He licked his lips as he continued. "It'll take a month for it to spread around the world, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. After a few days, when the pain sets in, he'll make an announcement that those who want the antidote will have to swear loyalty to him and his idea of peace. Those who do, even if they're lying, will be given the antidote. But when the two chemicals combine, it'll make it so the last promise they made will be set in stone. They will be bodily compulsed to obey his policies, whether they agree with it or not. They'll get violently sick if they disobey or try to go contrary to his command. Worst cases will kill them."

Silence stood in the car as everything settled in. "He's taking away free will."

"Yeah. That's the plan." Tunnels now surrounded them, nearly to Tim's hole in the ground. "If no one can fight against him, then he wins. We'll be a subservient people whether we like it or not. It hits metas harder than norms too, bringing their powers out before they even realize they have them. It's estimated about another third of the human population will be destroyed before he's won, but apparently that's fine by him.

"Oh, by the way, Wonder Woman's pregnant."

Dropping that was just to see if it'd jerk the old man's chain. He could hear a hint of a groan escape the man's lips so it was worth it. "Perfect."

"Before they can pull this off though," Jason finished, "he's ordered for all the remaining freedom fighters to be executed. All our old friends free of the régime, they better be able to handle themselves or they're dead. Are there any Arrows left?"

"Arsenal. He's teamed up with Cheshire. Oliver's been harder to locate but no one's announced his death." Batman was looking out the window as he thought out loud. "Aquaman's still holding his own under water, but if he leaves his domain..." He shook his head. "We're stretched far too thin."

"And if this plan succeeds, you won't even have the common people on your side. They won't have a choice." This was getting better and better by the minute. "Tim's plan better work then. I don't like the idea of an uphill battle. I agreed to be plan B but seriously I-"

"What is Tim's plan?" They were pulling up to the hangar of Tim's bunker now, coming to a stop.

Jason smirked to himself at the thought that truly he was the only person who knew what was going through that guy's head. "Still don't know? Five years in the making and you never figured it out?"

"Jason..."

"I thought the two of you were on good terms now. I know you weren't happy about the whole Boomerang thing, but really after all of this-"

"Dammit Jason! Just tell me!"

As much fun as it was to tease the big scary bat, even he knew when to stop. Should have much earlier, but there was a lot to say. He hadn't had any contact with his old mentor in years. Had to make up with lost time. Heh... Time.

Slipping out of the car, he gave the man a toothy grin. "He's going back in time to stop this from ever happening."

* * *

A/N: I'm a doctor who fan too. I love using time and dimensional travel whenever I can! So I figured, inside DC land where you have Bart and Booster Gold, if Timbo was trying to figure out a solution to the whole problem, he'd look to those who have changed history before. If none of this happened, then no one would die. Unfortunately there's some rules about time travel to account for...

Anyone else loving how Jason's a constant tease? WW being pregnant was just a random drop, not cannon, that I know of... I saw another game comic where Lex and Bats worked together to stop their timeline from existing through time travel (dunno where that is now) so I guess this is kinda based off that. ANywho, enjoy! Tomorrow, you will cry.


	6. 6

Warning: I cried writing this.

* * *

6

Batman paled as he heard these words from his prodigal's lips, a larger pit growing in his stomach. What? Jason was already heading towards the door leading to the bird in question, forcing his aching body to leave the seat and follow him for answers. The red helmet the Hood usually wore remained in the car, the only sign of respect the young man had given him or Tim the entire evening.

"What was that?" He wasn't sure if he heard that correctly.

"You heard me pops." Jason typed in an access code and slipped into the bunker without a single problem. "Tim's been making a time machine the past five years. He took copies of schematics of time travelers' gear the League and others have run into over the years and everything he could find on the subject to make it. He's going to go back and make sure Metropolis never happened. Figures if he can stop Superman from going mad, none of this would ever happen. Change that, erase this timeline, make the world a better place than this. That's the plan."

"Are you out of your mind?!" He couldn't believe this! Time travel. Tim's answer was time travel!

"And this is why he never told you about it." A knowing look was coming from the young man's face, he knew it. Cheeky little... "It sounded crazy to me five years ago, and I was drunk. But it's not like it's impossible. Wasn't the last Kid Flash from the future?"

"A thousand year in the future!" How could they even consider this? Time travel! Of all the things! "Booster Gold was from five hundred years forward! Every time traveler had over a hundred years between them and us! Going back five years causes a severe-"

"Tim said he figured out a way around the paradox problem," Jason admitted. "I asked him about that once. Said there was a loophole he could use and that was what he was planning on.

"Either way," they made it past all the security checks leading to Tim's lab in the center of the bunker, "he's got everything he needs now and last we talked, all he had to do was finish assembly and he was done. That was last week. Should be getting ready to use the sucker now. And with my cover now blown..."

He shrugged. Guess it was time for him to return to those who valued justice and freedom above all else. Batman just wished it didn't start with the death of the one he had to disown years ago. They needed to have a long talk later.

His attention switched to his last son working on the platform, seemingly ignoring their arrival. The look on the young man's face told him enough. Completion of his project was moments away, and he just needed to look over a few notes before he could act. Jason grinned as he came towards him energetically. "Timbo! Guess what!"

"Damian's dead." Tim's voice startled his father when he heard it. No humor, no grief, simply a cold fact. His emotions were turned off.

His brother pouted dramatically. "Take all the fun out of life. So, need any help with-!"

Without warning, the former Robin was shoved backwards by some invisible force. Batman was at his side in an instant as he put two and two together. "Force field..."

"Medical's two doors down," Tim pointed out without looking. He looked over to the two of them for a moment then sighed, shaking his head. "Figures both of you would be here now. I was expecting one or the other but..."

"Whoa! What's going on?!" Jason caught himself, barking at his accomplice across the room. "What's with the shielding?!"

"So you won't stop me." It was stated so simply, it scared his entire audience.

"Stop you?"

"From changing the past." He put the notes he had on the desk then turned toward the workbench he sat at most of the past year or so. A very strange looking piece of headgear rested on it, attached to an even odder looking consol. The display screen shown numbers they recognized. A very precise date and time.

"Dammit Tim!" Jason thrust his fist at the field angrily. "I never wanted to stop you!"

"You would if you understood everything." His eyes locked on to Batman's, and he could feel the hollowing sorrow in them. Looking at the gear and then the boy, the dark knight worked his hardest to figure out how to take down the field, now. This was not going to happen. "Bruce does."

"Understand what?! What are you getting at?!"

"We have to find a way in there, now!" Ignoring Jason's clear confusion, Bruce pulled off his cowl and searched around the borders of the platform. There had to be a weakness. There had to be some way in!

"What are you-"

"The paradox problem!" he shouted at the street punk. "Two of him can't stay in the same time and place when they're part of the same timeline! It causes a parallel universe if he tries, or completely destroys ours!"

"But he found a way around that!" Jason insisted, looking between the two. "Didn't you?"

"It's not that simple." Tim looked to the side guiltily, a single tear running down his face as he picked up a picture he had on his table. One of all the Titans. It was six years old and the majority of their members were dead now. It was a reminder of how much he had lost over the course of this war. "It's a one way trip Jason. I can't send my body back five years."

"Don't even consider it!" Batman desperately searched, but couldn't find anything. This was Tim after all. He thought of everything. All the field's generators and projectors were inside it. Maybe he could find a frequency that'd knock it out. Maybe if he had time and supplies... "It's not worth the risk!"

"Consider what?! What risks?!" Fear was starting to come to Jason's face as he shouted at the younger man. "What aren't you telling me?!"

"There are two possibilities with this Jason," Tim explained, looking him in the eye now. "One is that I succeed to send my consciousness back in time with all the information I have and can stop all of this from ever happening. The other is that I fry my brain and die right now."

Now Jason understood what was going on and panic started to set in. Batman looked at the projects Tim had scattered around the room. Maybe one of them could- "Stop looking for a way in Bruce. The field will go down only after I'm done."

"Done what?! Killing yourself?!" Desperation took over his mind as he turned on the young man. "Don't do this! Tim you can't die! Don't even-"

"Everyone else is dead!" Tim snapped at him, tears in his eyes. "Everyone! And don't pretend they aren't! Cass was caught and killed in a lab! They wiped out Steph's camp two weeks ago with some virus! Barbara was executed by Wonder Woman! The past five years have been hell Bruce! What's wrong with me trying to fix that?!"

"It's not worth your life!"

"I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LIVE ANOTHER DAY IN THIS WORLD!" Tears dripped down his face as he shouted this at them, showing just how broken he was. Tim had lost everything, over and over again. All his smiles, all this jests, they were fake. He hadn't smiled from his heart since before Metropolis. A while before actually. He wasn't the same boy Bruce met over a decade ago. "I DIED THE SAME DAY DICK DID! And I... I can't..."

He trembled before them as he tried to speak. "I can't do this anymore. I'm so tired of fighting, of trying to do something good in this rotten world. This is the only thing I can do. The only thing left..."

"What about us then?!" Bruce barked at him, torn with anger and grief. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't stand by and watch another son die before him. Jason murdered by Joker... Dick killed by Damian... Damian by Jason... now Tim... "What are we supposed to do?! What am I... I can't lose you Tim! Please don't... Don't do this to me... Don't..."

"Tim..." Jason stepped forward, still in some shock at the realization of what was about to happen. "It isn't worth it. We'll find another way to make this right. We still have a chance."

"This is my last chance Jay." Tim took a deep breath and sat down in his chair, giving them the final instructions he had for them. "Should I fail and this timeline still exist, should I be wrong, I've arranged for you to take my place. You can take my entire life Jason, and no one will be the wiser. After all, Jason Todd's dead. Tim Drake's alive. Let's keep it that way."

"You can't be-"

"All my civilian friends are dead too," he assured them. It was painfully clear how much he thought this through. "No one's going to question who you are. Just bury me in your old plot and if everything does work out somehow, there won't be any problems."

"You'll be dead!" Jason tried now, pounding against the field as he tried to get to his brother. "What good is any of this if you're dead?!"

"Tim please!" Bruce tried again, tears streaming down his face. "Don't do this! This isn't the answer! We need you here! I need you! Please! Tim! I can't lose you!"

A sad smile appeared on the young man's face as he watched them. "I know. And I'm sorry. But this really is our one chance to change things."

"TIM NO!" "TIM!"

Trembling slightly, he picked up the head gear and started up the device. The river of tears on his face didn't stop him from flipping nearly every switch. He stopped at the last one and looked to his family. "Take care of each other. Remember everything Dick stood for, everything we stood for. And remember, there's nothing more important than family."

"Tim..." Bruce's heart practically ripped in two as their eyes locked onto each other once last time.

"Love you Dad."

_click_

"TIM!"

* * *

A/N: a moment of silence for our dearly departed bird.

.

.

.

Now, from this point on, it's got little to do with the original timeline. I love how Tim solves the paradox problem, but the same time he's gotta die. My sister attempted it back when I was in high school and it scared us all to death, so I know what the family of victims go through (she's fine now, took a few years out of the country to sort herself out).. I talked this over with a friend and she agreed that if Tim went through all of that, he probably would want to die because he couldn't take it anymore. He'd regret leaving Bruce (who's getting to the same point as Tim) adn make certain everything would work out for Jay, but that'd be it.

I know I normally don't kill off batkids, and I promise I never will in DNB, but here it was necessary. But there is hope! This is chapter 6. the story ends at chapter 17. and there's an alternate ending from here. Hope you like it! So stick around. Timmy's gonna do a trick!


	7. 7

Take a look at how things turn out! The title make sense yet?

* * *

7

He jerked awake after only closing his eyes for a second. His headache was atrocious but so was this meeting. Why was he here instead of Gotham or San Francisco with the Titans? Oh, just that he was still being punished for arranging Captain Boomerang's death. Course he stopped that from happening but Bruce still wasn't pleased. Trying to get back in his good graces was all he thought about lately.

Or what he had thought of back then.

It worked.

"Mr. Wayne?"

Tim looked over to his left and nearly leaped for joy. Sitting next to him was Tamara Fox. She and her family died in year three of the regime. And now she wasn't. She was living and breathing, just two feet away from him. It took all his self-control not to pick her up, spin her around, and kiss her right then. Why hadn't he ever done that before?

"Uh, yes?"

She gave him an enquiring look. "Are you okay?"

He blinked at her, then looked down to the meeting notes to figure out exactly when he was. He had picked this date to return to because this meeting would determine where he would be for the next couple months. He just hoped he got the timing right so he hadn't promised to stay in India yet. Judging on the notes, he had only fifteen minutes to worm his way out of that. "Headache. Migraine actually."

"Might we adjourn until you have medical treatment?" one of the board members there inquired. As Tim recalled, this was the one he had to keep an eye on because of his embezzling schemes. Too bad he was really well connected.

"I'm fine," he murmured, then gave his best business like smile. "Please, continue."

As the board members prattled on, the vigilante ignored them. He already knew what he was going to do. He just needed to cook up a story to make it happen. A good one. After a minute, he made subtle facial cues indicating his phone had gone off. Being as careful as possible, he took out the device and pretended to read a text. His face showed something was up to the rest in there, making them curious as he put the phone away and started to look preoccupied. It was a look meant more for Tamara than the rest, but the others wouldn't be suspicious of his sudden change of pace now.

In the end he nodded and agreed with the board's decisions, just like last time. "Good good. Alright, keep going with the project as you have. Don't change a thing. If any problems arise," he looked over to Tamara, giving her a small encouraging smile, "please talk to my assistant, Ms. Fox. She'll be able to contact me and I'll see what I can do."

As her eyes popped and jaw dropped a fraction, the other board members exchanged worried looks. "Um... we were under the impression you would be-"

"Normally yes," he told them with a smile, "but a family issue has arisen that I absolutely must take care of first. My apologies for the inconvenience. Now if I may, I have a long flight back to the states to get on. Meeting adjourned."

With that, Tim pushed himself out of his seat and packed his briefcase while everyone else exchanged confused, frantic looks. "But-"

"You have everything under control to the point I hardly need to be here," he stated evenly. It was the fact of how it went last time that irked him so much. He wasn't really needed there. Keep his eye out for one embezzler? That did not require much attention at all. Tamara could easily do it. He was redundant. "I am however needed back home to handle some... personal business."

Donning came to the woman's eyes and she nodded. It was so good to have someone in the boardroom who knew about his alterego. "Understood. Well then, I suggest we go over the numbers tomorrow at ten Mr. Huan. Can't have anything going above budget."

"Of... of course."

She gave him a sweet smile then picked up her purse and folders before following Tim to the door. "Excellent. Until then."

As soon as the two Americans were out the door and in the elevator, she turned on him for answers. Just like he predicted. "Okay Tim, spill. What's happened?"

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to explain things in a subtle manner, without sounding crazy. "I got a message about a crisis that could happen if I don't act now."

"Can't someone else-"

"No." Weathered eyes met hers, and he knew he looked much older than he was. Well he would. Mentally he had five more years on her, and those years were hell. "They don't have the details I do. And I have to act fast."

She eyed him suspiciously, not quite believing him. "How's that possible? I thought your dad put you in exile until he was satisfied... about something..."

"It's complicated." His headache was still there, and he suspected that it'd be there for the next five years. That would be the price of doing this. Overlapping memories and knowledge, cheating death and traveling back in time mentally, it had to come with a cost. He gave a heavy sigh before putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. "Look, I really want to explain everything to you, and I will, but not now. Right now, I need to get back into Gotham under Bruce's nose and start a new chain of events."

"But-"

"Tam," he looked deep into her eyes, hoping she'd see how sincere he was, "I need to do this. I promise, if everything goes well, in two months' time, I'll take you to _The Rose_ in Metropolis and you can wear that dress you wanted to impress me with tonight. But for now, just trust me."

Tamara's jaw dropped a fraction as the color rose in her cheeks. The elevator had made it to the ground floor right then thankfully, letting the two of them off before others could come in. Tim wished he could say more than that to her and a quick 'see you later', but he was in a rush. He had twenty-four hours to get to Gotham and track down one person without Bruce knowing. If he didn't start there, then in little over a month's time, everything would repeat itself. And he was not going to let it happen all over again.

* * *

A/N: YAY! They're alive! it worked! Now let's see where Timmy takes this. Will history repeat itself? or will everything be rewritten? Either way, Timbo's got one massive headache on his hands. Jason will be returning to the story shortly. Enjoy! I'd say more but I'm kinda ticked at some nosey self righteous people right now.


	8. 8

The return of Jason! Plus a light touch on something I will explain my views on later in another chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

8

Oh Gotham, the city that never failed to disappoint. Jason hated the fact he was just shot by some guy in a Mickey Mouse shirt, but even more hated that he was drunk at the time. The shooter, not him. Jason was going to leave Gotham for good that night and nothing would stop him. Even a lucky drunk who happened to be stupidly firing off shots because he heard others shots going off. The scrape on his leg wasn't near as annoying as the fact he liked those pants. Good pants were hard to come by, and now he'd have to get new ones. Stupid drunk.

He was nearly done packing his bags, looking around the crusty apartment he used lately. The next one would be better. It'd have to be. This one was sad, but it did the job. He learned a lot about the local cartels because he lived there. Everyone else in the complex apparently was an addict. Well, at least if he blew the place up it wouldn't take a lot of fire power.

Joking, totally joking. The cops were going to do a raid on the place in a couple days. That was why he was leaving now. And while he was gone, he was going to take out the cartel overseas. FUN!

"Well," he started, "looks like that's everything. Bu-bye Gotham. Hello Haiti."

Before he could pick up his junk, a sharp, rapid knocking struck his door. Glaring at it slightly, Jason took out one of his guns and carefully went to it. Who was knocking like that at this hour? No one good, he could count on that. He peaked through the peephole for a moment and blinked. Growling, he unlocked the bolt on the door and opened it a fraction so he could talk to the visitor.

"What do you want replacement?"

"Your help." Tim looked like he just spent the entire day and night running from a business meeting. Knowing how the kid had been doing a lot of them lately, he probably had. Haggard and tired was one thing, but a look in his eyes said quite a bit more had happened than a meeting gone wrong. It was a look he couldn't ignore.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend?" The incredulous glare he received for that comment was worth the implications. "Superboy's more than happy to satisfy your needs."

The business man huffed and looked away, internally groaning. "Forgot you thought I was gay at this point..." Running a hand through his hair, he rethought something then looked back at him. "Look, can I just come in and explain things? I really don't want Bruce or anyone else to get involved."

Jason eyed him for a moment, then pulled the chain off the wall to let him in. The younger bird was impressed to say the least. "Thanks."

"So," he started, shutting the door firmly closed behind him, "what brings the Wayne family poster boy to my humble abode? Want me to kill someone?"

"Not unless it's necessary."

That made him blink. The baby bird was actually approving of something? He turned to look straight at him, not a hint of remorse on his face. "Look, what I have to say is going to sound crazy, but I'll prove it's true as soon as I'm done. But the first thing I have to ask is, how would you like to save the world?"

Jason's eyes popped at the implications. "And you don't want Bats in on it... why?"

"Complicated." Seeing as his attention was fully grasped, Tim sat on the edge of the bed in the tiny apartment and sighed heavily. "Best I start at the beginning, and it's a long story. Want to order in? I don't see a fridge around here."

"Cut the crap birdboy," the older man demanded. "Just tell me why you're here or I'll pop you one."

Leaning on his knees a bit, Tim started, gaze boring straight into Jason's eyes. "I'm from the future. Or more accurately, my consciousness is."

He blinked at the nut. "The future."

"I'll prove it." The genius pointed to his left arm. "This morning you gave yourself a red bat tattoo on your left shoulder. In four months, if we fail to change things, you'll put a blue bird one on your right. In honor of Dick."

How did he... "And why would I honor him?"

"Why do you think?" The gravity in his voice put a sinkhole inside Jason as the possibilities crossed his mind. "If we don't stop a chain of events, Dick will die in little over three months."

The idea was too much for Jason to accept. A bit dizzy, he murmured, "Bull."

"We made an alliance at his grave site a week after his death," Tim further stated. "One that I'm honoring even now. If we can stop one, huge event, then we can prevent his death and billions more."

"Billions?" Where did that number come from? It was as impossible as Dick dying.

"Over the course of five years." He looked away a bit before admitting, "It took me that long to do this. To send my consciousness back here to try and prevent it."

A heavy silence filled the room, one Jason didn't know how to deal with. He didn't want to believe what Tim said was true, but he was right about the tattoo. He put it there himself and no one else knew about it. No one could know about it. If Dick did die, he'd probably honor him that way too. After a few minutes, he swallowed, and nodded.

"So, where do we start?

* * *

A/N: YAY! THey're working together! And even better, they aren't trying to kill each other! we're gonna mostly ignore lobdell's stuff here so their relationship isn't the best, but they're capable of getting along now. It doesn't take much for Jay to believe the crazy things that happen in their lives. So with the simple pointing out of something no one else can know, Tim's got Jason under control. Now how to use him... *evil laugh*

Again, still have a poll on my profile. Started up 'Where's Robin' again for those not paying attention. I will finish everything! one day... .


	9. 9

Now... after everything Timbo's gone through, what do you think he wants to do most? =D

* * *

9

Tim leaned back in his large chair and sighed heavily before popping an aspirin into his mouth. At the rate he was going through the bottle, he knew he'd need a different prescription, but he made do for now. He pounding in his head was nearly unbearable. Maybe a cat scan later?

Sighing heavily, he tried not to think about it. Instead he looked at his phone and thought of something he'd been wanting to do for five years. Somehow he managed to put it off for two days because of the urgency to set as much up as possible immediately, but could he really do it now? 'John Blake', his internet persona looking into Joker's suppliers, needed five minutes to breathe before setting up another fake meet to get rid of those missiles. What harm would it do to ring him up?

Shakily, he turned on his phone, briefly counting how many times Bruce or Tamara called him. He'd get back to Tam soon, but Bruce would have to wait. He couldn't face him right then. Not yet. Scrambling his GPS signal, Tim found the number he desired and pressed send.

Two rings and the other end picked up. "_YOLO! The great and impressive one has arrived! How may I direct your call?_"

He couldn't help but chuckle fondly, a few tears leaking out of his eyes at the greeting. Just hearing his voice in reality instead of in his head was a blessing. "Hey Dick. It's Tim."

"_Kinda figured with the Stalking Song playing and your name and face popping up._" Another chuckle escaped him. How he missed the guy's jokes. "_So what's up?_"

"Nothing much," he admitted, relaxing a little. "Just really wanted to hear your voice."

"_You miss me that much?_"

Sadness and joy filled Tim as he absorbed every word. "More than you know."

"_Okay Tim,_" came a slightly chastising tone. "_Spill. What happened?_"

"Nothing really." Not yet at least. "Just... needed to hear your voice."

A doubting silence came over the line before Dick came to his own conclusion. "_Nightmare?_"

He smirked slightly as he answered. "Yeah, a few. The worst kinds."

He could hear the other guy give a heavy sigh. "_Tim, I'm not going to die. I promise you, nothing is going to take me away from you._"

"I know." His voice felt moist hearing this promise. It was the same one Dick gave him all the time in the past after Stephanie and his dad had died years ago. Even after Conner and Bart, he gave it. Then Bruce... Even if they knew it could be a lie, he still made that promise. He'd make any promise if only to get Tim to smile and calm down. He just really needed to hear it.

"_And don't forget, everyone's back now. Death doesn't always stick._"

It better not. "I know."

Silence again. "_Knowing and believing are entirely different things Tim. You really need to believe what you know._"

"Says the kettle to the pot."

"_Oi-yoi! I'm working at it._" Tim chuckled softly as Dick tried to defend himself. "_Batman couldn't doubt himself so I'm not that bad anymore._"

"Uh huh."

"_Tch... you're as mean as Donna you know that._"

"Someone has to keep you on the level and kick you out of depression." It was so good to hear his voice. It made Tim's headache that much more bearable.

"_Speaking about depression..._"

"I'll talk to a shrink next month," he promised loosely, surprising his brother.

"_Really? You'll really see one?_"

He nodded. Dick had been trying to get him to see a professional since Bruce's apparent death. It wasn't just because he thought he was alive when no one else did; it was more because of the depression he suffered from losing everyone around him. Back then... well, now or a few months back, he had steadfastly refused, saying he didn't need one. But with five extra years of death and tragedy, Tim knew he needed help. He knew he couldn't take another five years like he already experienced. He hadn't lied to Batman saying he'd rather die.

But should everything work, he'd need help, professional help, in order to recover. But he'd need one that wouldn't slap him into a strait jacket when he told them what he'd been through. "Yeah, I will. Can you find that number for the one you recommended before? You said they handled crime fighters before right? I want help, but not Arkham."

"_Roxanne is a therapist, not a shrink._" Hearing the relief in Dick's voice was worth the promise. "_I can set up an appointment for you if you're really-_"

"Give me a month to finish something first," the younger bird stated quickly. "After that, arrange whatever you want."

"_Okay... Is everything alright?_" Caution and curiosity was alight in the man's voice. Drat. This was not what he wanted.

"Mostly. Kind of." Lying to Dick was tricky, especially on the fly. "Just... really bad nightmares. Call me crazy, but I think they were some kind of warning. Taking a few precautions just in case. And..." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Listen, I... kind of blew off an assignment Bruce gave me."

A long whistle came from the other end. "_Dang..._"

"Yeah..." He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to word this right. "He's not going to be really happy with me for a while. I've been ignoring his calls too."

"_Oh crap._"

"I don't have a good explanation for him right now as to why I took off, just that I had to. When I have something solid to give him, I'll talk to him." And when he could finally get past the guilt of 'dying' in front of Bruce's future self, he hoped. He could still hear Bruce shouting at him to not flip the switch that'd send him there. See his face every time he closed his eyes. Jason's attempts to stop him were also haunting his mind, and it made talking to him earlier that much harder. When he cooked up this plan five years ago... or rather four months from now... he hadn't believed he'd feel much of anything anymore. He was halfway dead inside already, and he knew things were going to get worse. "Besides, he was giving me busy work anyway."

"_So what is your reason? For blowing off Bruce and all that._" He knew the man would be curious but Tim couldn't tell him. He especially couldn't tell him.

"Just... been having nightmares of the same city being blown to pieces over and over again. Then I hear a baby crying."

"_And I die?_"

"Yeah..." It did sound crazy when he heard it out loud, but it was the best he could do.

"_I see..._" Dick seemed to take it in for a minute before asking any more. "_How long have you been having this nightmare?_"

"Couple weeks?"

"_Hm. Alright. Do what you have to to get a good night's sleep Timmy._"

With his big brother's approval, a weight lifted in his chest. It wasn't the best lie or detailed explanation, but Dick accepted it. He knew better than anyone that in order to gain a semblance of peace, you had to sometime just follow your gut. In his mind, Tim was just getting rid of something haunting his nights. Once that was done, he'd be free to go back to work. "Thanks."

"_No sweat. Need any help?_"

"No thanks. I've got it covered." Between him and Jason, everything should go pretty smoothly, if they both followed the plan and Metropolis wasn't set in stone. He really hoped time was wibbly wobbly right then.

He could almost hear the man shrug. "_If you say so. Just don't forget, not all of us follow Bruce's lead on every tiny detail. In fact, no one does._"

"I'll keep that in mind." An open invitation to call. He was planning on taking him up on that.

"_You better._" Nothing was said for a moment before Dick asked what he had in the beginning. "_So... is that why you called? To tell me what was going on with you and Bruce?_"

"No... I just..." There really wasn't a logical reason to call. And the Tim Drake of his time always had a reason for everything he did, a logical one. "Honestly, I just wanted to hear your voice."

"_Awe! I'm touched!_"

"I bet." A smile grew large on Tim's face, relaxing in his chair. It really was great hearing his brother's voice again.

"_Think you'll be able to get some sleep now?_"

He looked at the time and realized he called in the middle of Nightwing's patrol. That was dumb. Why hadn't he looked at the time earlier? "Maybe... On a case?"

"_Stakeout,_" he admitted. "_Very very boring. Think Scarecrow's dealing something but not sure who with yet. Or what the effects will be._"

For a moment Tim's insides froze. Hadn't Joker used one of Scarecrow's gases to make Superman believe Lois was Doomsday? "Crap. Where you at?"

"_Warehouse C13 in New Town. Not a lot going on._"

"Try going to B20. A source of mine said Crane was working from there." Thank you future intel. Hopefully he had the time right.

"_You sure? You haven't been in Gotham for a while._"

"Positive."

For a moment Tim was scared he wouldn't take his advice. Then he heard the wind going past the other phone's mic. "_Hope you're right baby bird._"

"Hey," he started, knowing they couldn't talk while he fought, "mind calling me back after you've finished up there? Just to talk?"

"_You mean to tell you a bedtime story._"

That won a laugh from him. It'd been a while. "Yeah, something like that."

"_Keep your phone on and maybe I will._" Smirking on the other end, he said his usual goodbye. "_Later Tim._"

"Later."

As the phone went off, Tim found himself looking at the piece of technology, his heart aching. It felt so good to talk to him again. Maybe he could... No. Until this was done and history was changed, no contact with Dick, Bruce, or even Damian. None with the Titans either if he could help it. No talking to Superman, couldn't even let him know where he was. The only safe bet was Jason, and he only gave him so much.

Sighing, he put the phone down and went back to typing. He'd get some sleep when Dick called back. After that, back to being completely off the grid. A few hours of joy, knowing someone could be saved, was all he needed at the moment. This was all he needed to keep going. This was enough.

* * *

A/N: Loved the convo? Was thinking about making a phone call to Dick the first thing Tim did, then I made it a rapid traveling time to Gotham so he wouldn't miss Jason. I think this worked out rather well. I also like the idea of Dick giving out bedtime stories and having the stalking song as timmy's ringtone. Fun son. There's a lot of them, all satire, so just pick your fave.

Just curiosity, how many people would actually read this if the story was moved to another category? I want to end the debate entirely because I'm tired of the odd suggestion to move it. It's clearly a batfic so it's staying here, I just want to prove a point.

In other news, I celebrate my 3 year anniversary of steady work today! *cheers* the work in which I clean other people's messes, they still say it's dirty and constantly critique, and I write something so I don't perform mass murder. 8D I so need a vacation... The Batclan can only sustain so much torture from me.


	10. 10

Warning: will shatter some people's views on Timmy, I hope. This is how I see it, not necessarily cannon but how I would handle an age old question. Remember, this is pre52 Tim. Other than that, enjoy!

* * *

10

"Well," Red Hood joked, "that was easy."

"In one sense." Red Robin stepped over the unconscious men around them, headed to the warheads to fully disarm them. They'd be sold for pieces and the radioactive part would be donated to science. Proceeds would be for whatever Jason wanted, end of story. That was part of his gain in this bargain.

"Hey I thought you'd be happy!" Hood followed after him, not near as careful about going around the louts on the ground as he was. "No one's dead and another arms dealer is out of commission."

"I'd be happier if Joker was the one out of commission."

Jason raised an eyebrow under his helmet, watching his replacement curiously. He'd been acting really weird, even for Tim. If he didn't already know he was five years older in the head, he'd be calling up Raven to see if he was possessed. Well he was, by himself. "So you're really giving me the OK to kill him?"

A heavy sigh escaped the teen's lips as his focus came onto the weapon of mass destruction in front of them and started working. "Look, I told you, I don't care what happens to him so long as I only find out after it's said and done. Give me plausible deniability and I won't object to your methods with him. I just want him handled before the seventh."

"Seventh being D-Day?"

"Seventh being K-Day." The bird glared in concentration as he deactivated the thing's detonator, permanently. "It takes more than just satellites and warheads to turn Superman rabid."

"And apparently it takes a trip from the future to turn you badass." He looked up and down the younger bird, impressed by the costume changes. Red Robin now had plate armor, and a lot of it. He hadn't slowed down either. In the past two weeks, he saw how much the future intel had changed the kid, and not all for the better.

He was haunted, and not just by the possibilities of people dying. This new Tim had seen people die, lots of them. It didn't take a genius to figure out how bad life had gotten for the bird before he came to the past.

Red Robin gave him a brief glance before finishing up the bomb to make it safe for transport and dissection. "When life gives you lemons-"

"Squeeze them in life's eyes and demand for a donut." Hood grinned at his own joke, knowing the kid was rolling his eyes at him.

"I was going to say make a pie but I guess that works." The bird went over to the next one and set to work on it. Four more to go.

"So the future's that bad eh?" He motioned to the new armor, smirking at the red plates down his arms and legs that reminded him very strongly of Nightwing's fingerstripes. Fanboy to the end.

"Yes," came his cold reply. "It's that bad."

"Ever going to tell me how he died? Dies?"

It was something Jason wanted to know, but the little genius would never say. How exactly did Dickybird die? Or how would he die? Not that he cared about the guy's safety, he just wanted to know. Curiosity usually got the better of him. But as always, "You're better off not knowing."

"So you're just going to carry that burden for the rest of your life?"

"That's the plan." Red Robin finished with bomb two and moved onto a third.

"That plan sucks." Really, did this kid have to play the noble, self-sacrificing hero? Was it so he could snag chicks? To prove he was strong? What a load of crap.

"Hood," the bird started, turning to him slowly, "if I told you what could happen to him, what would you do? What would you say? Would you be able to look at him like normal? Would you be able to even think of him the same way?"

"You already told me he was going to-"

"And I'm trying to stop that," Red insisted. "Starting here. Now if we manage to prevent anything from happening then-"

A sharp shrill came from Red Robin's belt, an early warning for them. "Sh*t!" In an instant, both of them were out of the warehouse going in opposite directions. They barely made it out of there safely before Batman and Robin appeared to take down the arms shipment. The two Reds were interrupted in their job, but at least it wasn't to the bad guys.

Pressing his com, Jason growled at his temporary partner. "Why the hell didn't you know about them crashing the party!"

"_I've already altered the timeline Hood,_" the teen struck back. "_Nightwing took down Scarecrow last week and destroyed his toxins. After the Scarecrow case was settled before, which would have been done tomorrow, they switched their attentions to some other crime involving Firefly. Firefly hasn't happened yet! How was I supposed to know they'd be looking at arms dealers next?_"

"Gee, I don't know! Maybe by using that big bat brain of yours!" Hood groaned inside as he got a good distance away from the scene of the crime. "So focused on what could happen according to your timeline that you forgot to pay attention to the other changes! Some detective..."

"_Okay! I'll try to pay better attention to the good guys!_" The frustration in the young man's voice pleased him to a certain degree. Good. The pretender better be frustrated. They just screwed up a good deal. "_Happy?!_"

"Maybe. One could even say gay!"

"_Aurg!_" His obvious discomfort made Jason grin at last. In such denial. "_For the last time! I am not GAY! I've had half a dozen girlfriends and the reason I haven't slept with any one of them is strictly because my mother raised me better than that! She taught me to respect all women as people and to not see them as sex objects! I made a promise to her after she gave me the talk-_"

"Your _mom_ gave you the talk?!" Well, that explained a lot.

"_-to not have sex until after marriage! It's the only promise she ever asked me to keep! So I'm keeping it! End of story! So stop implying I'm gay!_"

Secretly Jason was taken back. The story explained a lot about the kid. Bit of a mama's boy, but at the same time he could respect the promise he made to her. His last promise to his mother. Jason's last promise to his mom (stepmom) was that he'd survive, and he had. So in all honesty, he couldn't find fault with this anymore.

"Whatever." Still didn't mean he couldn't have fun at the guy's expense. "Keep telling yourself that."

"_Have I ever mentioned how much I hate you?_"

"Yeah, I hate you too. So where to next gaybird?" He could hear the guy's teeth grinding together, making him grin. Guy really needed to loosen up. Wonder what he was like drunk?

"_Next we put all our focus in finding Joker and making sure he can't do anything to Superman or anyone else in Metropolis. I have a feeling Batman's tracking every one of John Blake's moves these days so we only need to keep an eye on the missiles and satellites now._"

"Meaning one of us plays bodyguard while the other plays hunter?" K-day meant kidnaping right? Jason wasn't an idiot. He just liked to keep things simple. Bats made things way too complicated.

"_Pretty much._"

"Sweet." The game was on.

* * *

A/N: and that's my view on Timmy's sexual orientation. Makes sense? I don't do slash so don't recommend it. This is my reasoning why he hasn't slept around like his brothers. End story, moving on. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, including myself. Jason just likes jerking everyone's chain so I had him prattle on about it. And the original meaning of the word Gay meant happy. Old english. Moving on.

So they're working on ending the missiles first, then on snagging Joker. They've been looking for him the entire time but they haven't gotten him yet. Timmy not caring what happens to him so long as he's out of commission and no longer paying attention to Supes is pretty reasonable in my mind. He's past the point of caring what happens to certain criminals so long as they're handled. Doesn't want them dead perse, but he does want them gone. Hence why he asks for plausible deniability when it comes to Jason's methods. Love these two when they work together. Also, took Jason's first line from a comic I found on DA where Jay and Dick are about to take on a whole bunch of guys, Dick comes up with a plan, Jason just shoots them all, then presses the Easy button from Staples. Fun comic. XD

Anywho, Still need a vacation, Star Trek was awesome (loved the role switch near the end), and there's still a poll. Many works in progress. Until tomorrow! Unless I've scared you off. *prays she hasn't*


	11. 11

Now let's see what DaddyBats is doing about all this. X3

* * *

11

Batman crept into the rundown apartment he knew Red Hood and Red Robin were using to meet in. He suspected something was wrong with both of the former Robins if they were working this much together behind his back. Though Bruce's door was open to Jason if he changed his ways (he had mellowed out over the past couple years), he was still rather upset with Tim. Sneaking around like this, blowing off his assignments, this was not how he behaved. Personally he blamed it on the lad's time on the Uthernet, the programming there making all its users more aggressive. He hoped staying away from the cowl for a while would bring him back to earth, back to a stable mind frame, but he was teaming up with Jason and ignoring all of Bruce's phone calls.

Something was seriously wrong.

Unfortunately, Dick seemed completely uninterested in helping him find out what. Said it was a 'breach in the brother contract' if he told him anything, if he knew anything. The young man seemed to be pleased with Tim for some reason too, as if he succeeded in getting him to do something. Working with Jason like this couldn't be that though.

Bruce had asked Alfred if he knew what was going on but the butler strictly said there was a time when young men simply did not talk to anyone unless they wanted to. Even after nearly twenty years, the man was upset with him taking off to train around the world. Asking him to find out what was going on wasn't going to work.

He already had Oracle trying to keep tabs on them, but Tim knew how to circumvent her systems. She could only get so much on them, but she did tell him about a 'John Blake' who was rumored to be buying up warheads and missiles in order to use them as scraps as fast as possible. His method of payment and targets were similar to the ones she and Tim used in order to do undercover work, so Blake's accounts were being followed. Red Robin was quite a busy bee, but that was all they could get.

The other girls were too busy with their missions to be bothered and Damian simply didn't care. Other than throwing insults around, he would not accept Tim or Jason as any part of his family. Stubborn kid didn't even realize that his position was more fragile than theirs because they fought to keep it while he just assumed his would always be there.

Mentally sighing, he pushed it all aside to see what these two were up to. The room itself was small and hardly lived in. It was more of a crash pad than an apartment, a place to recuperate, talk, then take off. The bed was made and everything was in place, but a thin layer of dust covered everything. Neither young man had been there in a couple days.

Batman's eyes narrowed. This did not bode well to him. Carefully he swept the room, looking for any sign of what they were doing. The trashcan had scraps of transcripts and invoices, giving detailed locations and purchases, but all of them were old. Looking through them, he realized these were everything John Blake had handled already, a closed part of the case. Useless.

Returning them to their place, he put on the thermal lens on his cowl and looked around. In order for Tim to continuously scramble his and Hood's conversations, he'd need a constantly running computer system. Since he couldn't find a tower around there, he could only assume... There, under the floorboards near the central cooling system. Within minutes Batman was taking an active laptop out from beneath the wood and waking it up.

It didn't take long to crack the log in password on the computer, but that was the easiest part. There were folders ever present on the desktop (which featured a swimsuit model on a motorcycle, probably courtesy of Jason's tinkering), but each and every one of them were locked. Time locked even. They could not be opened for at least another week, and only if another constant program was shut off. That program was what was scrambling the communications signals the Reds were using, and hacking that would take a while. Tim's programming skills were at least on par with Barbara's.

The part that confused him most was the file names. Each were labeled 'FAILSAFE', then had a member of the crime fighting community's alias next to it. The only ones he'd have thought would be there for some kind of failsafe, but weren't, were Superman and Wonder Woman. Curiosity alighted, the detective tried to open or analyze the programs, but could only get a little more information.

The file meant for him was the largest. Second largest was for Jason and third for Aquaman. Why the king of the sea was a large part of his 'failsafe' was beyond him. They only met a handful of times. The file for Damian was quite small but an added tag for 'URGENT' was next to it. Dick's was around the same size as Barbara's, but they weren't key players in whatever plan Tim had cooked up.

Growling to himself, he folded the computer shut and took it with him. Tim had jerry-rigged the thing so it couldn't be turned off and his scrambling program would remain active. The battery would work on its own for several weeks. Damn kid was a genius.

Looking around the place one last time, he headed out. He had other things to worry about. One of which was finding out who broke nearly every bone in Joker's body and flopped him in front of police headquarters with his larynx severely damaged the previous night. As much as he liked the idea of Joker not being trouble for a while, he did not like the brutality that came with his capture.

"_Hey B! Got some news for you._"

Oracles voice over the coms had a brighter side to it that night. Something good must have happened. Shooting off a line, he gave a grunt to show he was listening. The woman continued. "_Harley turned herself in! Apparently she's worried someone's going to kill her precious Mr. J and she needs to protect him._"

"Joker in protective custody?"

"_Protection and coma. No one's seeing him out of the hospital for at least two months, probably longer. Arkham'll have him once he can breathe on his own." Dark humor filled her voice. "Any idea who saved us from the big bad clowns?_"

"Some."

"_Care to share?_"

Batman cut the line for his answer, eyes narrowing in thought. One possibility stuck out to him, but what would Joker and missiles have to do with Jason and Tim? And where were those two? Things did not look well to him. Not in the slightest.

* * *

A/N: So joker is out of commission! Harley is with him too. Two guesses who did what. Bruce is still in the dark, but not for very long. He's suspicious at the very least, and this kinda explains why Timmy was in exile too. really think the Uthernet messed him up a bit while he was recovering from everyone's deaths and revivals. That led to Boomerang. Fun theory at least. Well, until tomorrow! ^^V


	12. 12

Dun Dun DUNN! Daddy's home! And he's not too happy. Enojy!

* * *

12

The Wayne Penthouse in Metropolis was only used during official visits, by Bruce. Everyone else used it when they didn't feel like finding a hotel or pushing on to Gotham while passing through. No one would think twice to look for Tim there.

Or so he thought.

"Really Jay," he chided over the phone as he went over the security of the Kents' apartment again on his computer, "I don't want to know any details about it so long as he's not going to be doing anything for the next few weeks."

"_I think he's going to be out of commission a lot longer than that Timbo._"

"Don't want to hear it. I'm already in enough trouble." He rubbed his head, trying to relieve the headache a bit.

"_Aww... ashamed to be associated with me?_"

"Talking to you is on the light end of the stick," he assured him. He tapped his computer a bit, grimacing at the invasion of privacy he was doing. "I'm more worried about what the others will do if they find out how far we've gone."

"_Oh please! Not like you've actually killed anyone._" The snark in Jason's voice made him smirk. "_You just arranged for missiles to be sold to the wrong people._"

"The right people," the younger bird fixed. "Just make sure Joker or his goons aren't doing anything on your end and I'll keep the targets safe on this one."

"_Whatever_."

Tim spotted something from the corner of his eye, forcing him to act fast. "Gotta go. Bye."

"_Gotta-?_" The phone clicked off before he could question the lad's grammar. Tim rushed to get his computer screen to another case, one he thought could explode if everything worked. Due to Metropolis being bombed though, it played second fiddle. Luthor wasn't very happy about that. Thankfully if Bruce got wind of this one, it wouldn't matter if he got involved. Everything was coming to a head shortly.

As soon as he felt the breeze he knew he was here. "You know there's something called a door right?"

Turning around in his chair, he had to stop himself short of glaring at the two. Yes two. Robin had tagged along. For a brief moment Tim could hear the last conversation he had with the twerp. Or rather, the demon who'd grown up into Redwing. To think that in a few short months he'd be responsible for the death of someone the entire crime fighting community cared about. With any luck, what wouldn't transpire that week would change that.

"Tt. Like you use them."

"Actually I do." He looked over to the giant bat looming in the archway. "I was hoping you'd want to talk to me in private when you got around to it."

"This was your idea of getting my attention?" Batman glared down on him as he approached. Normally Tim would stand as he got closer, but this time he remained in his seat. Bruce had his full attention and he had the high ground. That should pacify him a bit.

"No actually, I was trying not to have it." He looked away slightly, faking mock disappointment. "Shows that in order to get what I want, I have to aim for the opposite."

"Pathetic," the young teen muttered just loud enough to be heard.

He was not in the mood for this, at least not from the brat. Glaring daggers into him, Tim couldn't help but snap. "Shut up demon! Unless you want five years of hell!"

"Oh, and you think you can deliver?" came the younger bird's challenge.

"ENOUGH! Both of you!" Their father's roar silenced the argument before it started. Batman's glare may not have the same effect on them as on others, but it still had some power over them. Seemingly exasperated, he started barking orders. "Find something to entertain yourself with in the other room Robin."

"But-"

"Now!" With a huff, the brat left them, glaring at Tim for being the special one. Tim did nothing to encourage him. He really was sick of fighting. As soon as the door behind Robin was closed, the Bat's attention was completely on him. "Care to explain your actions?"

The young man looked him in the eye for a moment, then looked way, making himself a little more comfortable in the chair. This may take a while. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"Let's start with why you took off from India during a meeting." Batman folded his arms, glaring down on him.

"You and I both know I was only there to be kept out of the way." He sighed slightly, remembering his actions in the past, even that time's past. "I'm being punished for my discretions concerning Captain Boomerang. I didn't need to be there."

"My orders were-"

"Unnecessary. I've spent over six months overseas, the past two years, performing Wayne Enterprises meetings and satisfying legal formalities, but not once was I really needed there." He carefully picked the next thing he said. "If at any time I was needed in the field I knew my exile would end, but this is getting ridiculous. Two years? I've had the time to think everything through Bruce. More than enough. I'm tired of exile."

"So you create an excuse to come back and redeem yourself?" The Bat scowled at him, seemingly not listening. "Some crisis that'd require Jason's help and failsafe protocols?"

Tim winced, rubbing his head again as his headache intensified. This was not going well. Clumsily he groped for the bottle of pills he'd been chugging down since mentally arriving. "So you know that much."

"John Blake."

He looked down and away, exasperated. Yeah, he knew that cover and op was blown. It was explaining it that he wasn't fond of doing. "I have my reasons for everything. And I didn't make up a crisis."

"Really?" The doubtful tone in the man's voice felt like a blow, despite knowing it was coming. Whatever happened to just believing in him? Did it really take five years without Dick or Damian at his side to have unfailing trust in him again?

"It's complicated." Quickly he popped the medication into his mouth and forced it down. He was going to need all the help he could get.

"Uncomplicate it."

He ran his hands through his hair, breathing slowly. Here goes. "This is going to sound crazy..."

He looked up earnestly into the man's eyes. "I'm from the future." He could swear the man blinked at the statement, not believing what he heard. "Mentally at least. It was to escape the paradox and alternate universe problems associated with traveling back in your own timeline. I could explain the science, but I don't have the time.

"I arrived... or woke up in that meeting and knew I only had a little time to prevent a crisis from happening. That's why I ran off. To stop something before it ever started. It's also why I disobeyed your orders and cut all communication."

"Except with Jason." The ice in his voice struck him in the gut.

"I knew he'd believe me." His eyes shifted as he admitted, "And I knew I couldn't do this alone. He and I made... an alliance in the future I came from. I promised him then that I'd include him in my plans completely."

"Which are?"

"Preventing billions of deaths from ever happening." Some tension left the man's face, the Bat equivalent of his jaw dropping. "It'll happen over the course of five years, and before I left, there were hints of a lot more lives being lost soon. Right now, the world is at a turning point. I'm doing everything I can to stop it from happening."

"Why didn't you bring this to me?" Tim knew that would be the part Bruce would hate the most.

"Because I don't have evidence." He glanced away and sighed before explaining. "I couldn't with the way I came here. You have enough hints from my activities what it involved. And considering it sounds crazy and you've questioned my mental state for the past few years, trusting that you'd believe my word alone now just didn't seem possible. All I could do was act."

Batman watched him for a while in silence, considering what he said but not quite believing it. After a decade working with the man, whether he believed it or not, he knew every one of his father's ticks. He hadn't been fully believed, but he understood some of the logic. Enough to look into everything further. Already Tim knew what was going to come out of the man's mouth.

"You're coming back to Gotham for a full debriefing."

"I'm still in exile," he reminded him, trying to make a point.

"Back to the manor."

"Exile for imprisonment? I don't think so." The time traveler could see the Bat's eyes narrow so he went a different route. "Look, I'm not done here yet. Give me one more week. If by the end of next week Superman hasn't come to you announcing he's expecting a baby boy... I'll come home on my own. Or wherever else you want me to go. And before you condemn me to Arkham, I already promised Dick I'd see a therapist friend of his here in a couple weeks."

The surprise on Batman's face was almost humorous for a moment, then the scowl returned. Figured the announcement of Lois expecting would get his attention. It would also be proof he wasn't crazy. If there was no announcement, then he was nuts. In little over a week's time, everything would be decided.

Actually everything would be decided in three days, but he wasn't about to share it.

"Fine." Batman snapped before heading towards where Robin was waiting. "Don't be late. Robin, we're going."

"Tt. Finally." The young teen sneered at Tim smugly as he passed by. "Reading Drakes journals about how pathetic his life is, was getting boring."

Without thought, Tim stood up and opened his mouth to object to Damian's behavior (thankfully the only journal he had out didn't have anything from the future in it), but their mentor's voice cut them off. "We're done here. You have until next Thursday."

"10-4." Glaring wearily at the boy, he watched the two of them return to the window to leave. Batman didn't even look back to see his face after giving his ultimatum. Watching them leave in an angry huff, his heart started to break. Was it really that hard to get Bruce's approval again? And if he failed...

A tear ran down his face as he remembered the last goodbye he said to him. Bruce's breaking voice, his heartfelt shouts, his pleas to change his mind. So different than the Batman that stood in front of him just seconds ago. If he knew what was going to happen next, would he react the same way? Something told him he wouldn't.

"Goodbye Dad."

* * *

A/N: Yep! They're coming to a head! Bruce doesn't completely believe him, but he's giving him a week anyway. After that... Well winner take all. Also D-day is in a few and Timmy's staying in town regardless. Will he succeed in saving the world as we know it? Or will he die with Metropolis? That's the end game for him. Tune in next time for more. =P

Loved Timmy's goodbye though. Didn't get it exactly right but it'll do. Kinda sad that it played out so badly as a last goodbye, but oh well.


	13. 13

Now... let's see what happens!

* * *

13

D-Day.

Well not really but that was what he called that day anyway. It presented an image to Jason that worked, so Tim kept it. K-Day had nearly come to a close and Red Robin kept to the shadows, tailing Lois Lane-Kent everywhere she went. Superman was busy saving the world the entire day so no one even realized he was in town except those who already knew.

Didn't help the headache pounding away his skull or the dread he felt the entire day.

The bird didn't even stop his hidden guard duties when Mrs. Kent returned to her very secure apartment for the night. Her husband wouldn't be back for a while (Luthor had struck on the other side of the planet, keeping him very occupied) so he stayed on watch. If he came home that night without a problem, then maybe he'd take the rest of the night to sleep.

Yeah right. Until the worry and stress in his stomach left, he was not getting any sleep. The world could change for the worst in a single second that day, or any other really. If Lois was taken away and used like before, everything would end. If he failed and Metropolis was wiped off the face of the planet, then so was he.

Everything had to end, now.

Without his bidding, Red Robin's phone rang. Mentally cursing to himself, he answered. "What?"

"_Glad to hear from you too babybird._"

Tim rolled his eyes as he registered Jason's voice. Well at least it wasn't gaybird anymore. When exactly did he start calling him that nickname? It was fairly recent... he really needed to get some sleep if he couldn't recall when that started. "Sorry. Stress."

"_Oh yes. Watching a hot babe doing shopping all day is really stressful._"

"You're forgetting she's taken. And pregnant. By Superman." He huffed out a partial laugh.

"_Is she?_" He couldn't tell if the rogue was actually surprised or just being sarcastic. Then again, Tim hadn't told anyone but Bruce. And that was to prove (hopefully) later that he wasn't crazy.

"Yes, she is." The bird sighed a little, leaning against a wall and using his zoom lenses to make sure the rooftops were clear. "Everything alright on your end?"

"_Joker's still in coma, his men are in jail, and Harley's in the loony bin. Hear she's heavily sedated. The good doctor taking care of her was quite agreeable._"

"Don't want to know," Tim emphasized best he could. He really did not want to know how Jason got Joker under control so long as he wasn't anywhere near the Kents. "Plausible deniability. Even B can't go against that."

"_Talked to him yet?_" At the question, he jerked to a halt, not sure how to respond. "_I mean, you've been blowing him off for a while and if you're wrong then-_"

"I die, I know." He didn't want to think about it, really he didn't. He was staying in Metropolis for two reasons. One was to prevent the destruction of the city from happening by any means necessary. The other was that if he failed that, he'd die with the city. He absolutely could not go through any of the next five years again if he failed. He could hardly take it the first time.

"_Sure you want to make that sacrifice?_" Red Robin blinked as he heard the slightest amount of concern in the young man's voice. Was he actually worried about him? "_I mean, being dead royally sucks. Personal experience here. And being blown up..._"

Closing his eyes briefly, he explained. "Jason, if you went through or even saw one year of what is to come, you wouldn't want to live either."

"_But from what you told me,_" the rogue tried to explain, "_if Superman's takes the next step towards a permanent world peace, it couldn't be all bad._"

"Think about escalation for a moment," he logically reasoned out. "Jay, if he, the most powerful being on the planet, kills high end crooks and disarms everyone, what'll happen to the petty crooks and those who steal to survive? People who you grew up with? Superman leads by example. If he takes out the big guns, what's to stop some regular Joe from popping a purse snatcher? And if the authorities don't arrest him for those crimes, can they arrest the other person?

"Jason, the only reason you in the future wasn't taken out by his forces was because you laid low for near a year and I made certain the time you met up with them next, you could be accepted to their side."

"_My undercover job, got that._" He didn't sound too thrilled about it. Maybe the facts were really sinking in now. Who knew.

"You may agree with certain points," Tim further explained, "but after you see the methods and how badly it escalates on the street level, you'll understand Batman's standard a lot more. Superman doesn't see that happening around him and that's the worst part. Later he does and starts taking complete control. All in the name of security and protection. There's very little freedom after a few years and people are scraping by under a totalitarian government. We resist and..."

He really couldn't tell him much more. It hurt too much. Jason must have learned how to read him over the past month. "_So how many people die?_"

"The real question is, who's on what side and who's survived." His voice became sticky as he recalled the executions and the battles. Red Robin rarely made an appearance, and part of him regretted it. Only the possibility of this working made his apparent cowardness acceptable. Batman's last heir was pretty much in lockdown, working on his project. He was only in the field to gather materials and information, not to fight. Not to say he didn't but... "The body count's pretty high. On all sides. I predict that in ten or twenty years, if this kept going, Superman would be the only person left. Unless you and B and the other survivors somehow managed to take him and Wonder Woman out-"

"_That's the part I still don't get,_" Jay tried, changing the subject. "_Why are we so focused on Joker and Supes that we're ignoring the chick in the one-piece?_"

"She just perpetuates it, that's all." He gave a heavy sigh as he looked back to the Kent apartment. "If we stop this, she won't be a factor. One thing turns Superman, and that's what we have to focus on."

"_One day you'll have to tell me how this links to Dick dying._"

"You're better off not knowing." He was not going to drop that burden on anyone. Planting the idea that Damian's reckless actions would lead to their brother's death was not something he wanted to do. Give the kid a chance. That's what Dick would say. Give Damian a chance to change and prove he was not a killer.

"_Brat._" That got the young man to smirk. If he insisted. "_So if you succeed, what next? You know it's not likely to-_"

"We win... and B believes me..." He chewed his lip for a second before shrugging. "I'll figure it out later. Until the kid's born though, I think someone's going to have to be around who's not allergic to glowing green rocks."

"_Okay... am I on Joker duty then? For... the next year?_"

"If someone's keeping an eye on him or can get him interested in something else, then I think we're good."

"_Kay. If that's the case, I'm gonna get a beer. Don't fall asleep now._"

"Not likely." The other end clicked off and Red Robin sighed heavily. The call was a nice distraction, but that was all. He couldn't afford to be distracted. Not that night. Not the next day either. He had a drone ready to run interference just in case something did happen, but that was all he could do.

In the meantime though... Settling on the roof and well in the shadows, Tim let himself fall into the perfect pattern for a stakeout. He was in for a couple of long nights.

* * *

A/N: The next chapter is really short but finishes the main points of this bit. No, not the end. Not satisfied yet. Loved how Stalker Tim was present once again, this time with Lois. He's pretty good being a stalker isn't he. *evil laugh* Anywho, there's still a poll up but it's got 100 voters. Shall I change it or keep going? up to you.


	14. 14

Warning, it's short, but necessary and didn't fit in the previous chapter or the next one.

* * *

14

Conner couldn't get it. Why was his best friend, in an armored version of his uniform, grinning from ear to ear, asleep, on top of a roof in perfect line of sight of Clark's apartment? Kara was snickering behind him when she saw the usually tense bird defenseless like that, but honestly, Conner was worried.

"Think we should wake him?" She asked the clone, still finding the sight adorable.

"I'm surprised he's not already awake." The Titan carefully came next to Red Robin and tried poking him awake. "Yo, Tim, awake up."

The bird didn't even budge. When was the last time he slept like this? He couldn't even remember seeing the guy nap before. Glancing back to the girl, he started picking up the guy. Even with the armor he was light as a feather. Had he lost weight? "Cripes this is bad."

"Think we should take him to Kal's?" Kara asked, cocking her head slightly.

Thinking hard, Kon shook his head. "He'll ask too many questions. Think we should keep this quiet, just in case it's nothing. Tim's kinda paranoid and sometimes just watches people to make sure they're still alive. Done it a time or two with me at Ma's. I'll just drop him off at the Wayne Penthouse and meet you there."

"I guess..."

Cradling his friend in his arms, he looked over to his cousin. "Any idea why he called us over?"

"None whatsoever." She watched Tim as he seemed to unconsciously turn into his friend's embrace, seeking warmth. She could almost swear his dopy smile got bigger. "Might want to check him for Joker Gas later. I don't think I've seen him that smiley in years."

"Me neither." Conner looked down at his friend and couldn't help but to smile too. Relaxed, smiling, actually sleeping, it was a miracle. They didn't happen very often to Robins. "Catch up with ya later."

Not waiting for an answer, the clone flew off with the bird back to the penthouse he visited once or twice in the past. He didn't look around too much before fining the bedroom. The guy really needed his sleep after all. Stripping him of his boots, gloves, belt, and cowl (plus the new plate armor... what?), he tucked the guy in and smirked. Not once did his heart rate change nor did he stir. Either he really was that tired or he was that good of an actor.

"Sleep tight Robin," he murmured as he turned away. "Heaven's knows you've earned it."

* * *

A/N: YAY! they've dodged the bullet! and as soon as everything was safe, Timmy passed out. Figures the Kryptonian friends he has found him and returned him to the penthouse. He was tired! Wouldn't you be? Anywho, three more chapters and an alternate ending left. Enjoy!


	15. 15

Now for everything in the world to change.

* * *

15

Batman could hear Robin and Nightwing training not too far away as he worked on his computer, trying to decipher what was on Tim's abandoned laptop. The failsafe program had a virus embedded into it, destroying itself because apparently it was no longer needed. A small signal had activated it just the other day, and it was murder trying to stop it.

He mostly didn't pay attention to the philosophical discussion the two birds behind him were having as they fought. Dick was still trying to affirm the doctrine of 'not killing' into the teen's head and he simply refused to acknowledge a better way to handle things. One day he'd have to remind the lad that they fought for an ideal that not only saved others but themselves. Dick was doing a fair job, but it still wasn't sticking. Would it take an earth shattering event to change the kid's ways?

Earth shattering. Shaking his head, the detective tried to piece together once again what he knew from the failsafe files. It wasn't a lot. Tim's programs were rather effective. What he did get was that the 'crisis' he was trying to prevent was Metropolis' destruction. Apparently it triggers a chain of events going over five years which would end with Red Robin being desperate to prevent it. Billions of lives would be lost in the process. Not millions or thousands, billions.

It appeared Atlantis was in danger, but not Themescara. Kryptonite dust was to be put into the atmosphere immediately with apologies to Kara and Conner, though the why was unclear. Furthermore, all Arkham inmates were to be transferred to an undisclosed location immediately, and neither Dick nor Damian were to be anywhere near them. Jason was assigned undercover work, though on who was unclear. The Titans, all of them, were to regroup, assess their loyalties, and use an underground network to correlate everything, under the direction of Donna Troy or Wally West.

From everything he could surmise, Batman decided Tim was afraid of Superman and Wonder Woman going rogue. They apparently would take over the world if Metropolis fell. When the lad came up with that conclusion was beyond him. Maybe he had been in exile for too long.

For a moment Bruce recalled how Tim was before his time abroad. Back when Boomerang was his target. He made a series of wrong choices that nearly killed the man, but at the last second he stopped himself. Red Robin was a cold and calculating strategist, doing everything possible to get the end results he wanted. To a point, he became much closer to being Batman than any of the others, and that frightened him.

His adoptive father tried to figure out exactly when he had turned down such a dark road, but he could only guess it was while he was away. Tim had shown such loyalty and belief in him while trapped going through time, but afterwards he hadn't done much of anything with the boy. They both went straight to work. If it weren't for the threat on Damian's life a couple years back, Bruce doubted the kid would have been treated much better.

Then there was the Uthernet. That thing was trouble. Gone now, but he knew Tim's time there had changed him. All the deaths surrounding him in reality had broken down much of his inner strengths. That place had a way of making people more aggressive. A combination of reality and the cyber world had changed him for the worse. Back then he wouldn't see the changes and that he needed to reassess his priorities. Now though...

He rubbed his eyes as he recalled the promise Tim made to him last. Dick was helping him arrange for therapy. Normally Bruce would not be encouraging this (he personally hated therapists), but after all the things Tim had gone through, without any help, maybe now he'd accept it. Looked like he wanted help too. They just had to wait a little longer. If Jason joined him there, maybe their mishmash family could finally work outside the field.

So consumed with his thoughts, he almost didn't hear Superman coming in and catching Damian's weapon. The light chuckle coming from the alien's lips annoyed him to no end. He was in a really good mood. Affectionate even. Rubbing both his son's heads, he had a strange tone to his voice as he seemed to beacon them over to the computer. Since when did he get the authority to order his sons around? Wasn't it bad enough Dick was his fan, Damian had a crush on Kara, and Tim and Conner were best friends? Was he still taking out revenge on when Bruce dated Lois for a couple weeks? He thought he was over that by now.

"It won't take long," Kent seemed to assure them before floating next to Bruce's chair. "Would have come by earlier but Luthor and a few others have been getting in the way lately."

"In the way of what?" Nightwing's curiosity succeeded in getting Batman's attention more than the man of steel did, but it didn't take his eyes off the screen. "What's got you so happy?"

He could see the alien's grin getting bigger by the minute. Damian was getting even more annoyed than he was. "Can't be anything good."

"Lois is pregnant!"

Bruce's heart stopped for a moment in shock at the happy exclamation. Lois... pregnant...

_'If by the end of next week Superman hasn't come to you announcing he's expecting a baby boy..._'

Tim's voice resounded in his head as those around him beamed with excitement. "That's wonderful! Congratulations!"

"Are you certain it's yours?" A slap over the head.

"Of course it's his! Lois would never cheat on him!"

"Just stating the obvious. I didn't think Kryptonians and humans were compatible."

"There's Superboy."

"The clone doesn't count."

"The chances were really slim, that's all. I want to verify it with Star Labs to make certain it's healthy, but Lois is a bit scared. She doesn't like the idea of being prodded and poked that much and I was hoping..."

"You want my people to take a look at her." Bruce finally looked at him, joining the conversation. The idea of Lois being pregnant with Clark's child had struck him pretty hard. Like Damian, he thought the chances of that happening were unlikely, but he knew Lois. There was no one else for her.

Superman nodded, very happy. "I know you'll be discreet. And you have doctor friends that know what they're doing. Female doctor friends."

A slight smile poked its way from his face. "I'll call Leslie and arrange for an appointment. She'll be happy to help."

"Thanks Bruce." Clark was almost glowing, ecstatic with the news. He could almost imagine how his wife would be. "It means a lot to me."

"Considering this will be the first natural human-kyrptonian hybrid, we'll have to watch its progress very carefully." For a moment he recalled the pain of being told Talia lost their baby so many years ago, back when they were in love (this happened long after Damian's hidden birth). He still couldn't handle the thought of a child being lost like that. If Superman lost the child... and Lois... "Wouldn't want to lose this one."

"How far along is she?" Nightwing begged, clearly excited and wanting to get away from the negative as fast as possible.

"About two months if I know right." He looked around to the others, blinding them with his teeth. "That's when a normal human baby has a heartbeat. We'll have to run tests to know for sure but I'm pretty certain that-"

"Bring her to Gotham by the end of the week and you'll have your answers." Batman pushed his way out of his chair and smiled at his old friend. "I'm happy for you, really, but I know from personal experience how poorly women react when men are over protective of them during pregnancy."

"Since when?!" Dick screeched. Damian also seemed interested as the young man continued his point. "You didn't even know about Damian and I haven't heard of Selina or Vikki or any other ex of yours claiming you fathered their child."

"Especially in the early stages." He decided to ignore the comment and questions. He hadn't told anyone inside his family about the one he lost. He wasn't sure how Damian would take nearly having a full blooded sibling. "You better not insist on too much unless you want to sleep on the couch."

Clark laughed, clapping him on the back. "Lois' dad already warned me. Said his wife hated it when he tried to tailor her every need. How do you-"

"I'll tell you some day," he promised. "Just not this one. How many people have you two told?"

"Just family and you guys so far. Been pretty hectic the past two days."

"That's when you found out?"

"That's when I heard the heartbeat." Love radiated from his features at the memory. "Didn't even suspect until then. Ma said some women carry them deeper than others and that their tastes don't change much. Lois occasionally makes odd requests all the time so I didn't think anything of it, and I'm not there all the time so I don't know how she's doing through the day and-"

"It's not that surprising you didn't notice until now Clark. Stop justifying it." It was a bit of a struggle to keep the real smile on his face while things fell into place in his head. Tim knew about the pregnancy long before Clark did. He still hadn't been told. Only one last piece of information from the alien's lips would solidify the lad's claims of time travel and a crisis. "Any idea what it's going to be?"

"Bruce," Dick chided, "you know it's too early to tell."

"A boy." They all gaped at Superman who blushed. "I... took the liberty of looking at his DNA. Just to see if he was healthy and stable. Couldn't help but check..."

"That's wonderful! Wait..." The acrobat's dubious look made everyone question the same thing. "You used x-ray vision, and microscopic vision, on your pregnant wife?"

"Uh..."

"Are you sure that's safe?!"

"Well..."

The rest of the conversation was lost on Bruce as he took everything in once again. '_If by the end of next week Superman hasn't come to you announcing he's expecting a baby boy..._'

* * *

A/N: YAY! Bruce no longer thinks he's crazy! I kinda went over everything that made him doubt Timmy earlier, but this just clarified it. But he's starting to believe him again. Can't wait to see how that goes. As for the lost baby reference, I think that's the famous son of the demon story. I read something at least where Bruce and Talia were "married" and she got pregnant. it was during Tim's early run, not even a Robin officially yet, so that's what i'm referring too. Anywho, Bruce was being overprotective and she faked losing the baby in order to get him back to normal. It really hurt him and he left her and Ra's for Gotham once again. The next time they met Bruce said he wasn't ready to talk about it and he never told Alfred or anyone about what happened while he was away, just went straight to work. So that's the story behind that one.

two more and an alt ending. Enjoy!


	16. 16

Warning: fuzzies ahead.

* * *

16

Tim smiled to himself as he gently laid a blanket over Jason. He passed out on the couch after one too many drinks. He long suspected the man wanted to get him drunk just to see how that'd go but in the end he was sober while Jason was incapacitated. It was a game they played in the future, one he won all the time. It was simple. Tim simply didn't do beer. He had acquired a taste for wine, but being technically underage again, he chose not to risk it.

Looking around the room, he started picking up the remains of their victory dinner. Pizza, soda (and beer), a box of brownies, all unhealthy food Alfred would skin them for eating. A DVD was playing in the background (Pride and Prejudice, pink bible version. Jason picked it) but for the most part they talked right through it. They were just having a good time, celebrating that the end hadn't come.

He was still alive. Mrs. Kent and the baby were still alive. Metropolis was in one piece. Joker was hospitalized. His goons were in custody. All known and unknown missiles on the black market were gone for good.

They won.

Tim still couldn't get enough of it. He hadn't smiled this much in years. Not since everything was right in the world. Back when he was Robin, Stephanie was Spoiler, his Dad was alive and well, Young Justice was going strong, and Bruce and Dick were finally over their differences and behaving as a father and son should. He hadn't been this happy since then. How long had that been? For him? For everyone else? It was hard to determine.

But he was happy again. Really happy. The living nightmare was over.

He was enjoying the reprieve before the shoe dropped and all of it would go away again. It always did.

Shrugging with a sigh, the bird grabbed his glass and pills to take care of the headache that always plagued him these days (really had to get himself checked out later). It didn't take long to clean up the mess and turning off the TV. After that night they'd be eating right again, but picking up things most people their age would eat was kind of fun. He was just setting a full trash bag near the entrance to be taken out in the morning when a light knocking reached his ears.

Curious, he looked at the front door. Who would be knocking at this time of night? Most late night visitors used the unlocked window and did not knock. Carefully, he peaked through the hole. His jaw dropped, gaping at who was there. Being polite for once.

Hastily he scrambled to unlock the door and open it. "You... knocked..."

A slightly worn Bruce Wayne stood before him, shrugging slightly. "Figured you'd appreciate a normal entrance for once. I owe you that much. May I come in?"

Tim stepped aside, still gaping at him in surprise. "This _is_ your place. I'm just borrowing it."

The man nodded as the door closed behind him. "I know, but I have a feeling this will be more your home than mine for a while. Can we talk?"

His heart lifted a bit as he fumbled with his words. "Ah... sure. Uhm... Jason's sleeping on the couch so... the study?" A single nod from his father was the only answer he got so he just went with it. "Right. This way... Course it's this way... Sorry, brain's not functioning properly..."

"You haven't been drinking."

That won a sheepish smile. "No, but I've been running on stress and vapors for so long, relaxing for a night puts me out of whack." He glanced back to the CEO as they quietly moved down the hallway. "So... I'm guessing you talked to Mr. Kent?"

Bruce's face didn't change until they were safely behind the study door. Anxiety was twisting Tim's insides until he heard the man's voice. "Lois is pregnant. Leslie confirmed it this morning." He looked over a globe in the corner for a minute as he spoke. "From the initial tests, everyone agrees it'll likely be similar to typical human pregnancies. Other than the odd cravings and maybe having trouble with labor, things should run smoothly."

"Good." Tim licked his lips as he waited for him to get to the heart of the matter. It wouldn't be long.

"From our technology," he continued, "I've determined you or any other out there could confirm pregnancy from a distance if they were observant enough to use it. Neither she nor Superman would have known you knew then either. But..." Finally he looked at the lad in the eye. "There is no test on Earth that could determine gender at this stage. Nor could you know Kent would realize she was pregnant a couple days before you told me.

"You really are from the future, aren't you."

They stared at each other for a long moment before Tim nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"Then where's my Tim?" There was a slight edge to his voice, one that struck him head on. The young man winced before answering.

"He's me, I'm him. Bruce, I sent back my consciousness, not my body." He took a deep breath to calm himself before explaining further. "In order to avoid paradoxes or parallel worlds being created, I had to rewind myself back to this time. I have all the information needed from that timeline... a lot more than that actually... but I'm the same man you knew last month."

"So you replaced him." His eyes narrowed slightly, starting a panic inside Tim's chest. This was not going well.

"No I didn't! Bruce, I have constant headaches because I'm reliving every day over again." Trying to explain the mechanics was harder than he imagined. "I can remember everything that could have happened in the next five years, every single thing, but they're just locked away memories. The recent ones I have from before all of this are as fresh then as they are now. I am the same person, I just have more information and I believe it.

"Bruce, I'm the same guy," he insisted, coming closer and begging for his dad to understand with his eyes. "I just have more memories, that's all."

"Memories change people." Why was the man so stony? Because he was right? Because he saved the world? Didn't Bruce know how much it hurt when he didn't believe in him?

"You want to know what happened to me? Is that it?" Pain filled tears sprung into the corners of his eyes as everything he'd been through flashed through his mind. "Fine! I spent the next five years plotting and planning to send myself back here to stop this. I mostly live in a hole in the ground while everyone else I know is fighting to the death. And they die. All of them. You and Jason were the only ones I had left when I-"

"What happened to Dick? Damian? Alfred?" Tim's mouth snapped shut, ending all communication as Bruce asked his questions. Demanded it actually. "What happened to everyone? What exactly did Clark do?"

"I can't tell you." He couldn't. The danger was passed. He didn't want to think about what could have happened.

"Why not?"

"Because you're better off not knowing." Exasperated, Tim fell into a chair and put his hands through his hair. This was not going well at all. "Bruce, there is just some things in this world you'd rather not know."

"I need to know."

"NO YOU DON'T!" He snapped his eyes up at the man. "If you knew, then you'll become overprotective of some and distrustful of others. That future is not going to happen! I won't let it!"

"Good." Tim blinked as a nod came from the man. What? Bruce explained. "Lois and the baby dying would drive Clark mad. Adding Metropolis' destruction would push him over the edge. If you stayed in Metropolis during the attack, I probably would have joined him."

He froze at the implications. Did he know? Course he did. He was Batman. He'd figure it all out with the clues he'd unintentionally gave him. Closing his eyes briefly, he admitted the undeniable truth. "I can't go through it all again Bruce. I just can't."

"I know." Slowly the man came closer to him, sitting in the corner of the coffee table in front of Tim so they could be on the same level. "You've already lost too much Tim. I can only imagine how bad it can be, but those memories you have are going to kill you every day if you don't have anyone to share them with. I don't want you to die."

Hearing those words, the painful memory of his departure from the man in the future that would never be, flooded his mind. Bruce screaming at him not to go through with it. Saying he couldn't lose him too. The tears running down the man's face as he pounded against the force field. His voice cracked as he shouted even. The man's voice never cracked. What he did had broken his father's heart. Knowing that hurt more than anything. Dying on the man was one thing he didn't want to happen. Not again. But his life...

"I know you aren't crazy Tim," Bruce continued, "so just tell me what you can. No specifics. You're right that there're some things I'm better off not knowing, especially with time travel, but you need to tell someone. And I'll be damned if a shrink is the one you tell first."

Looking into his dad's eyes, he knew he would listen. He hadn't seen that look in his eyes for a long time now, but it was one that made him relax. Right then, Tim was the center of his world. He was there for him and him alone.

Tired of keeping secrets, he blabbed. "First comes Metropolis and Lois dying. It was separate but also linked. Superman ends Joker, the one responsible for it. Superman, with Wonder Woman's encouragement, goes public and starts disarming the world, forcing ceasefires everywhere. The Kents are targeted by rogues, bringing the League in to save them. Atlantis resists Superman's policies, and one of the cities gets flown to the Sahara for a bit. He tries to relocate Arkhamites with the undertone of executions. Dick dies there..."

He choked as he recalled the video feed, but pressed on. "Damian makes a bad choice and leaves the family. Things escalate and the street criminals become targets. Lots of things happen, lots of battles... Lots of deaths. Jason and I make an alliance and he goes undercover while I gathered details about everything... Five years later I have everything and send myself back here. You don't want to know how everyone dies."

It took a moment before Bruce nodded. "Conditions of the world?"

"Totalitarian state. I have predictions of what would happen next if I hadn't..." He had to take another deep breath. "They're not good. I estimate that in twenty years, either everyone on Earth would be dead except a few, or... You'd have to have arrange Superman and Wonder Woman's deaths shortly after my... departure. There really wasn't any other option."

"I see."

Tim was looking at his hands clutched together as if in prayer. It hurt. His hands and his heart. All the things he went through and all that could have happened after were agony. He really had lived in Hell for a long time. There wasn't a chance he would return to it if he had any say in the matter.

A large set of hands found their way around his, calming them a bit. He hadn't even realized he was shaking until Bruce stilled them. He looked up slowly, bringing his father's face into view. There was no judging in his eyes, no accusations, no plotting. Just understanding and concern. It was a look he was very familiar with over the years... but not these years.

He nodded. "You did a good job Tim. It was the right choice to make. I'm proud of you son."

As soon as those words were said, a large weight lifted in Tim's chest. A smile lit itself on his face and he could see one starting on his father's. He meant every word he said, and that meant more to him than anything in the world.

Without warning, Tim dived into his dad's chest, wrapping his arms around him tightly as he buried his face into his shirt. After a moment's shock, the man wrapped his large arms around him, giving him the support and comfort he needed so desperately. This was all he wanted, ever since he heard Dick died all those years ago for him. He didn't want Bruce to cry and grieve for all the boys he lost in the war. Though he had caused it yet again before arriving there, this moment made up for all of it. This moment when he knew everything was going to be alright. Though the image of him shouting for him to stop the transfer would probably never leave him, hearing those words left the same impact if not greater.

Everything was right again. Everything. Finally.

Tears of relief soaked the man's shirt as he rubbed his son's back. Warmth consumed his insides as he felt the ice that seemed to run through him for years evaporate into nothing. Bruce even rested his lips on his boy's hair as all the tension left his body. No words had to be spoken for the message to come through. He could feel his dad smile as he held him a little tighter. The message was the same as what he last said to him before the transfer.

And that would never change.

"Thanks Dad."

* * *

A/N: AWE! Thinks this makes up for how I killed off Tim in chapter 6? I hope so! So now everything is right again. I think I've explained the headaches and time traveling memories thoroughly now but if not, I'll try again here. Think of it as overlapping images like in 3D movies. In Tim's mind, he's reliving every day for the next five years. While he's experiencing a new live, his old one is always present in his mind. Because he can't cope with both sets at the same time, his brain compensates by pushing his old memories to the side. Tim still has the details of what happened and can recall them at any time, but they can't take over his mind. Instead he has headaches that constantly prove they happened and still exist. I hope that makes sense. he'll be having them for the next five years. After that, his head will be back to normal and he'll feel funny without the constant pain.

Bruce mostly figured it out on his own, but like he said, he was better off not knowing the details. time travel is a tricky business and you have to make sure you don't become the problem you're trying to prevent. If Bruce knew what could happen, how do you think he or the others would react? A seed of doubt is all a person needs to turn a 180 on people. Fun!

One chapter of fuzzy left, then the alternate ending for those who like being depressed. ttfn!


	17. 17

Happy trails!

* * *

17

"Drake," Damian's voice broke through the young man's reprieve, "why are you staring at the ground in a cemetery?"

"Just enjoying the view." A grin was nearly plastered on Tim's face as he took in the sight. An empty grave. Actually, it was an empty plot. Not a used gravesite. The owner of the plot was very much alive and would be for quite some time. He just thought it was fitting to come back there on this date the second time around. After all, this was where he started his long five year journey.

The teen was skeptical a few headstones away. "You enjoy looking at dirt and weeds?"

"It's the symbolism of the thing," he stated quickly, smirking at the lad. Three months ago he wouldn't have smirked, or laughed, or even dared smile. He just couldn't. And now... well the world wasn't perfect, but it was heaven compared to what he experienced before.

"If you want reassurance that I'm NOT dead," Dick chimed in his ear, startling him slightly, "all you've got to do is ask."

"DICK!" He couldn't act fast enough to avoid his brother's arms from squeezing him near breathless from the back, nor did he really want to. Hearing him laugh, feeling his arms around him, it was a dream come true. Five years without this crazy big brother of his made him long for those small moments that reassured him and annoyed him to death. He'd take every hug for the rest of his life if it meant the man was alive.

Dick laughed, picking him up for a moment before setting him back on the ground and nuzzling his head. "C'mon! You like your Birthday hugs! Admit it!"

The genius tried to keep the red from his cheeks as he wiggled in his arms. "If I do, will you let me go?"

"Only if you promise to finally leave this dreary place and join the rest of us for your birthday dinner."

"FINE! DEAL!" When his brother didn't immediately let go, Tim sighed. "I like it when you hug me, okay? I just don't like it all the time. Nor this tight."

"I knew it!" He gave him a quick peck on his temple before letting him go. "Love you too Timmy."

"Tt." The angsty teen called Damian rolled his eyes and started back downhill where the car was waiting. "If you're done with your family comedy, I'll be waiting in the car, starving. Don't see why we have to go together..."

"We hardly even get to see Timbo these days! We should enjoy this!" Dick reminded him, slightly disappointed in the lad. He sighed heavily while Tim smirked to himself. "Some days I wonder what goes through that kid's head."

"I stopped wondering a long time ago," the birthday boy murmured.

"So how much longer are you gonna be living in Metropolis?" The acrobat walked backwards as they moved slowly to the car. Alfred had taken Bruce and the girls over to the restaurant already. A few of Tim's friends would be there too, and privately they all suspected Jason would be making an appearance. The two middle boys had become friends lately. Brothers even. Saving the world and everyone else in the process helped them bond somehow.

Tim shrugged, trying to make it no big deal. To others it wouldn't be, but this was an important mission. "Until next year I think. It all depends on Mrs. Kent."

"You can call her Lois you know." Dick pouted slightly, not exactly happy with the arrangement. The official story was Tim Wayne was doing official business procedures there, gaining experience. Red Robin was Superman's backup in case Lois, now five months pregnant (and showing), needed saving and he wasn't around. Everyone agreed that she was a magnet for trouble and that if the baby died, things would not end well for anyone. Unofficially, Tim was there to ensure his future never happened. Only Jason and Bruce knew this of course, but they weren't about to tell anyone what could happen if things went south. They just made sure Joker's attention stayed as far from Metropolis as possible. Not that hard with the way they kept messing with his medication or occasionally broke another bone of his.

He shrugged. "Maybe, but my mom would have tanned my hide if I called her anything else."

"Tim," his brother's voice of reason pointed out, "you're twenty years old now. You don't have to do everything your mommy told you."

"Maybe not," he admitted, "but I want to. Keeps her alive. If you died, I'd do everything you'd want me to do too you know."

"I'm touched," Dick admitted, smiling a bit, "but I rather you lived your own life."

"Maybe."

"Speaking about living..." he grinned impishly as he flipped over a headstone and faced forwards. "How's things going with Tam?"

Tim smirked to himself, looking down momentarily. "Slow. We don't want to make any mistakes. But I think our... relationship... has boosted stocks up four percent."

"That's boring. Gimme some juice will ya?"

"Sorry, life ran out of lemons." He looked to the sky, smiling contently. Things were going well. Not perfect by a long shot, but things weren't going to hell. Superman hadn't gone crazy, Damian hadn't slipped, and Dick was still alive. Life couldn't be better as far as he was concerned.

"Then maybe it can give us limes!" Dick teased, grinning like always.

Tim shrugged. "I like limes..."

"There! See? Now-"

"Oranges are better though," he admitted.

"Okay... But about-"

"Then there's grapefruit," he continued on, hoping to drop the subject. "Don't know why anyone would drink that straight up but people do."

"Tim..."

"And then we have tangerines. Sometimes they're too sweet though."

"You're avoiding the subject."

"Of course we can't forget pineapples. Those are some of the most affluent fruits out there." A grin started to form on his lips as they reached Dick's car. "Have you noticed how many TV shows slip pineapples into their episodes? Psych is famous for it, but Chuck did it and so did SG-1. Very odd."

"Of course you are."

Tim batted his eyes at him as Dick swung around the car to the driver's seat. His car, he drives. Damian was in back, having lost the right to the passenger seat in front for the day. Birthday boy's privilege. "The pineapple fixation the world has or me?"

"Both. Guess I'll have to get details from Jason." The man slipped into the car and turned it on. Tim just rolled his eyes briefly before joining him in the car.

"Good luck with that."

He looked back towards the empty plot up the hill one last time, grinning to himself. Empty plot. It felt good to know it'd stay that way for a long time. His head still hurt and probably would until days stopped repeating themselves (time wise, not events. Those clearly changed), but he was fine with that. Doctors said it wasn't anything to worry about anyway, no physical reason behind it at least. But it was fine. So long as that plot remained empty, he'd take a mental pounding. They had a bright future to look forward to now. Or maybe not. Life may not have run out of lemons quite yet.

'_Here's to the unknown future._'

END

* * *

A/N: Thus ends the war fuzzies! There's still the alternate dreary ending for those who want to be depressed but I digress.

I thought it'd be fun to make it Tim's birthday that everything happened on for him, making it an easy to remember date for him. Ironic too. HOnestly I wanted a reason why Dick and Dami were in the cemetery with him. Dragging him to a party was all I could think of. =P I thought the fruit bit was fun too, and have you honestly noticed all the pineapples running around? it's freaky!

So in the end Tim did end up seeing Damian killing Dick as an accident, probably because of hte talk the two of them had earlier and by looking at everything in a rejuvenated light. they still don't get along but that's them. FUN!

Now one last question before I warn you yet again about tomorrow's depressing chapter/alternate ending. Has anyone figured out the wordplay that the title is? I'll try to explain. In the multiverse. people keep adjusting lives to fit their plots. Sometimes it's unjust. Timmy was making an adjustment to make it less unjust... was that a bad joke? Either way, he's undoing the adjustment. Yes, I'm a cooky ham. 8P crazy girl walking. TTFN!


	18. 7 Again

ALTERNATE ENDING FROM CHAPTER 6

WARNING: SEVERE DEPRESSION FOLLOWS. DO NOT READ IF YOU WANT TO STAY HAPPY. RECOMMEND REREADING FROM CHAPTER 7 ON AGAIN IF YOU DO READ ONWARDS TO BECOME HAPPY AGAIN.

* * *

7

Jason placed the mug into Bruce's hands, hoping the smell of coffee and the warmth of the stoneware would get him out of his stupor somehow. He hadn't said a word since leaving Tim's side, and it didn't look like he would be saying anything now either. Grief had taken full control of his body from the moment the force field fell.

He still could hear the man's cries. Broken, shattered. He'd never seen him like that before. Did Bruce cradle him in his arms when he died too? Had he cried into his hair, rocking back and forth as well? Did he howl at the heavens for his return? He did all that for Tim. It was unbearable to watch.

It felt like forever before the man had finally gotten off the ground and taken Tim's body over to a cleared off table. Jason could hardly follow after him when the guy's body fell limp, so he tried to be useful then. Since Batman was capeless and he had a jacket, he had to grab Red Robin's cape to cover him. Unfortunately it couldn't cover all of him, so his face remained exposed. Somehow the genius had managed to die with a smile on his face.

It was a blur as to how they managed to be sitting in Tim's only two chairs in the place, drinking coffee not too far from his body. Bruce's eyes had run dry for the moment while Jason continued to tremble slightly at the sacrifice. His mind was scattered while the man's must have just stopped.

Eventually Jason spoke. "If I knew... what could have... what would happen... I'd never have helped him."

Bruce didn't do anything but stare into the murky mug in his hands, listless. Hearing nothing but his scattered thoughts, the young man tried to talk again. "He loved you, you know. Would sac... He'd have done anything for you if he could. Maybe that was why he was so smart. So he could help. He just..."

Nothing helped him. Jason's thoughts were in the wind and he couldn't find a way to put them back together. Head falling slightly, he admitted again his greatest sin. "I didn't know. I swear I would have stopped him if... I'm sorry."

His own coffee looked very interesting at that moment, or he just got lost in looking at it. Memories of the guy he used to torment then teamed up with flashed through is mind. Over the past five years, they had become brothers. He never did get the guy drunk. Did get him to talk about the girl he liked before everything went to hell though. Tim pushed away all relationships after Dick's death so he could focus on the plan. They made a promise to go out and pick up some chicks though when everything was said and done. Looked like that'd never happen now.

He closed his eyes for a minute as he tried to find a way out of this despair. But it was hard. Tim was dead. All their family and friends were dead. All they had was each other. Each other and a crumbling world. If both of them weren't so badly needed out there, they'd probably off themselves too.

They were needed. Just like they needed Tim. And Dick. Alfred. So many lives lost.

And more would fall soon.

"Bruce," Jason started slowly, "we have work to do."

The man didn't move before him. Just kept looking into his untouched drink. How long had they been sitting there like this? Looking into the man's face, he tried to firm up his own. "Did you hear me? We have work to do."

Still no response. A touch of anger came to his voice. "The world's in danger of being turned into Superman's dollhouse. We have to stop the virus from going out or everything we've worked for all these years will be for nothing. Can't you hear me?"

Nothing. Ticked, Jason leapt to his feet and started to shout. "Dammit Bruce! Tim knew the risks from the beginning! He knew he'd die trying to save the world! And he knew he could fail! But he did all he could anyway! The least we can do is pick up where he left off and save the world! I know he's gotta have some kind of contingency plans around here somewhere..."

"What does it matter?" Bruce's voice was so small and broken, he hardly heard it. "Even if by some miracle we win, what kind of world will be left for us? Everything's gone. Everyone..."

"We're both still here Bruce. That counts for something." The mug slipped from the Bat's fingers, crashing to the floor as he cradled his head in his hands, running his fingers through his hair. Anger spiked in the rogue as a fresh wave of grief tried to incapacitate the man before him once again. No. This was not continuing. Not while the danger was still present. Grabbing the man's shoulders, he shook him hard and forced him to raise his head. "Dammit Bruce, look at me! You're the f*ckin' Batman! You're not allowed to have a breakdown!"

"What does it matter?!" He shouted at last, anger and pain in his eyes. "Every single person I've loved has died! No one stays and no one cares!"

"I'm still alive!"

"You died too!" His exclamation surprised Jason, especially with the tears breaking out again. "There's never been a day since I haven't thought about it! About everyone! And now... Tim... Damian..."

His throat clamped up as his head dropped again. Jason couldn't bring himself to force him to look up this time. This whole day was hell for the man. Come to think of it, today was Tim's birthday. Last week was Dick's death anniversary. Alfred died around then too, just a year later. And if what Tim said was true... Batman breaking down now was inevitable.

Still, they couldn't give up. If Batman failed, then everything did.

Taking a deep breath, Jason tried again, gentler this time. "I'm sorry. I guess... Batman always seemed..."

"If I was an emotionless husk," Bruce admitted, listening slightly, "then it would have been easy to take a life. If I didn't care... I never would have taken a partner. I would have just left all of you to fend for yourselves."

"So putting us in tights and in the line of fire was your way of saying 'I love you'?"

A slight smirk came and went before it could set. "I guess it was."

Jason looked around, not sure what to say about that. It was both endearing and disturbing. Still... The Bat's murmur continued after a while, looking at his hands. "I never said it. Never could. Dick could. Tim could. But I...

"I never told any of you how much I loved you."

The surviving bird looked on his old man, trying to control his own tears. They never had a heart to heart like this. Not ever. Wetting his lips, he came up with a response. "Well, we're both a man's man. We don't say that to anyone but women and babies. We just show it. By helping and stuff.

"Bruce..." He put a hand on the man's back and knelt next to him to get eye contact once again. "I don't know exactly how long we have until the virus goes out. But Supes was pretty specific that you had to be dead at his feet before it could go out. This place is completely off his radar. We can take today to... But tomorrow, we have to go out and save the world. Alright?"

Bruce blinked at him for a moment, lost. "Jason I..."

"Just today. We rest now, and tomorrow we save the world. Is that alright by you Dad?"

The word seemed to freeze the man for a moment, his heart in his eyes. He never called him 'Dad' unless he was mocking him around the others, but it was long past time someone called him that. At least to his face. Tim's goodbye was fine for him, but he needed someone who was still breathing to say it.

Slowly, the big scary bat nodded, consenting to the deal. One day to grieve, then they fought to the end. Soon they would either win or be joining their loved ones. Either way, everything would be ending. Tomorrow.

"Alright son."

END (Really it's over. Get over it and play the game if you can. =P)

* * *

A/N: and that's it! If Tim failed to erase that timeline, then this is what happened. I'm leaving it there because I'm all about character interaction, not action. Still not that good at it. If someone wants to continue this thought pattern, go ahead. This story ends here, with Injustice's Batman and Red Hood getting over all their differences in order to save the world and move on. Will they save it? Dunno. Don't care! the story's over and I'm done! *evil laugh*

So, how'd you like it? Leave a comment if you've been waiting for the end to do so. I still haven't made a satisfying cover for this so if anyone wants to make one, please do and I'll add a credit to you as a chapter with it. For those without accounts who leave questions, or those who ask questions but make it impossible for me to answer them privately, a note. I don't answer questions in the story notes. I may vent a little here, but I don't answer questions here unless a lot of people ask it separately. I like to do PMs and have conversations. I do this on Deviantart as well (same name, check me out! lots of spoilers there for other stories). I do have a tolerance level though so if I stop talking, sorry, I'm just done. There's a reason I'm a writer and not a politician. that being said, still ask questions. Just understand if i can't answer them.

Well, I think that's it! Until next time! ^^V


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